Chapter 60: A Loss & A Win

"More importantly, brother, you had some business with me, didn't you?"

"Ohh, that's right."

　He straightened up and looked at me as if he had changed his mind.

"I've come to ask Lucas for a favor."

"A favor from me?"

　I braced myself.

　Brother Henry, the Fourth Prince.

　His rank is the same as mine, and we are as old as father and son.

　If such an older brother comes and formally asks you, you can't help but feel defensive.

"Oh, it's nothing serious. You know that I have many entertainers."

"Yeah."

　I nodded.

　My brother does his duty as a nobleman.

　He supports painters, musicians, and other artisans.

　As a nobleman, the more you can do that, the more you will be honored and praised.

　That's the reason why I supported Alice.

"Some time ago, I found a boy with a great talent for painting. His talent makes me shudder."

"For my brother to say that... is quite a feat."

　He nodded at my words.

"I gave him a fair amount of help to start with because he was having trouble making ends meet, but I didn't think that would be enough. That's why I want Lucas to raise him."

"Why me?"

"Alice."

　My brother said and smiled at me.

"The songstress you raised has made a name for herself throughout the empire. Even His Majesty has been known to go out of his way to listen to her."

" What the !"

　Crash!　I stood up with such force that I hit the sofa and made a noise.

"His Majesty?"

"Yeah. And not just once or twice. Whenever Alice is in the capital, it's quite often. Even more surprisingly."

　My brother looked impressed, chuckled, or something in between.

"His Majesty – who has had more than thirty children. He doesn't want to embrace her at all, he just wants to listen to her sing."

"... Ohhhhh."

　That's great, I was surprised too.

　The other day, the Seventeenth Prince was born.

　This means that His Majesty has 17 male children alone.

　If you include the female children, the Princess, there are more than thirty.

　His Majesty's libido is so strong that he can have thirty children, but he does not want to do that at all with Alice.

　It's not that Alice is not beautiful.

　He just wants to go to her and listen to her singing.

　We, who know His Majesty well and are the result of his work, know how great it is.

"So, I want to ask you, the man who raised Alice-"

"Me?"

"I can only count on you, Lucas."

　Brother said so and looked at me straight in the eyes.

　Only count on me.

　If he is going to that extent, there is no way I can refuse.

　I decided to accept painter in making from my brother.

　After my brother left, I was thinking about what to do with the painter in making.

　I had the maids serve me, and I was relaxing and thinking over a cup of tea.

　Suddenly, there was a knock on the door and a receptionist maid came in.

　It wasn't Cecily, but another Maid she had left behind in the capital.

"Master, Byron Alain is here to see you."

"Byron?　Send him in."

"Very well, sir."

　Once the maid left, Byron came in almost as soon as she left.

　He seemed to be in a hurry, his normally neatly set hair was disheveled, his forehead was sweating profusely, and he was out of breath.

"What's the matter, you're in such a hurry?"

"Sorry about this ... you guys."

　Byron turned around and hurried his men who were just about to enter.

　They carried several boxes and laid them out in the room.

"What's all of this?"

"Yes. First of all, I have something to report. Ada-sama is pregnant."

"Ouu."

　Ada.

　She entered the royal palace with my help, caught His Majesty's eye, and became the concubine.

　She was originally under Byron's command, but now that she has become a concubine, the positions have reversed and she is now called Ada-sama.

"Great news."

"Thank you, Your Highness.　I owe it all to you, Your Highness."

"Hmm"

"As for that…"

　Byron was about to speak when he turned and looked at his men.

　They all opened the boxes they had brought in at once.

　The box was filled with gold coins.

"Wow, ..., I've never seen anything like it."

　The young maid behind me, who had been serving and was now refraining from serving, blurted out.

　A box full of gold coins.

　That amount of gold coins – roughly 100,000 reens, I think.

"It's a small token of our appreciation for His Highness' efforts."

"All right, I'll take it."

"Thank you very much!"

　I called a Maid and instructed her to take the men to the place where the gold was stored.

　The Maid and Byron's men left together, and I sent the young maid serving us back, as this was going to be a confidential conversation.

　It was just me and Byron in the room.

　We sat on the sofa, facing each other.

"Actually, we've just found out that another person — Consort Rebecca is also pregnant."

"I see."

　Well, as expected of His Majesty.

　I can't believe he's added two more children to the family.

　Or rather, the results of that ... trip to the summer resort with the concubines have just come out.

"I was hoping Your Highness could give me some advice on what to do about it."

"Is there a guardian on the other side?"

"Yes. In fact, they've already started working on it."

"What about it?　Anything done about it?"

"No, I didn't want to do anything until I spoke to His Highness. That's why I've come here."

"I see. Then you need not do anything."

"Eh?"

"In fact, this just saved your life."

"I-Is that ...?"

　Byron is surprised.

　The word " saved your life " caught him off guard.

" ... How, what do you mean?"

　I kept my voice low and answered Byron.

"His Majesty is disgusted by the two rebellions."

"—!"

　Byron's face tensed again in a different way as he realized the gravity of what I was saying.

"He's allowing the Princes to do all sorts of political work, but the fact that he has a firm grip on Military power and decision-making power is proof of that. His Majesty does not like people who try to seize power now. The most taboo thing would be for an upstart to try to seize power under the guise of the Inner Palace."

"I-I see. ..."

"So it's best not to do anything about it."

　Returning to my earlier advice, I mentioned it again, and this time Byron huffed.

"B-But then, no matter what…"

"Haste makes waste… no, losing is winning."

"Losing is ... winning."

"It is better to do absolutely nothing, but rather to actively withdraw from the situation. It would be a good contrast if the one who conceived at the same time, and who is in the same position as you is also actively working."

"Ahh ..."

　Looks like he finally got it.

"So don't do anything, you should rather actively retreat."

"I see, Your Highness!　That's an excellent idea!"

　Byron was overjoyed and patted his chest.

　Just as he had rushed in bringing 100,000 reens.

If he hadn't heard about it from me, he would have been doing a lot of work on behalf of Ada, who would be promoted to legitimate wife the next moment.

" To begin with."

"To begin with?"

"His Majesty is indeed a great ruler. One in a few hundred years."

"Yeah."

　I know that, but why bring that up?　Bryon had such a look on his face.

"No matter how well you try to gain power, his Majesty will always know about it. In that sense, it's better not to do anything."

"You are absolutely right, Your Highness!"

　Byron said, standing up and opening the door, beckoning to his men outside.

"Go back to the store now and bring me another 100,000 reens."

"Yes!"

　The thank-you was also this much, to the degree that he thought it was such a " life-saver".