The morning after Mother had come. We're on the bed in the bedroom. While hugging me from behind, Freed asked.

By the way, we're both naked. What we were doing until now… Don't ask.

“Aah, yup. Yesterday, she didn't make it in time for the dress fitting… Jeez, what are you doing?”

Freed kissed the nape of my neck. I have a feeling that the stinging sensation means I got another kiss mark.

“Nnn? I'm marking that Lidi's mine…”

“Despite the King's Flower being so big? Jeez, you can't. I'll be wearing the dress today too…”

“It can't be seen unless your hair is put up”

“Nnu…”

Not paying attention to what I said at all, saying so Freed once again stuck to the nape of my neck. A mysterious, ticklish, pleasant feeling. I should stop him, and yet thinking the culprit is Freed, I can't bring myself to resist, in all likelihood it's because I love him.

“You can't… It's about time, right?”

“Unfortunately. I wanted to enjoy Lidi a little more”

“Isn't the number of times too high recently? Let's decrease it a little”

“You say that, Lidi, but you're fine, right? You don't have it difficult at all. Truly, I'm glad the King's Flower has changed. Each time I look at this, I feel happy”

“Idiot…”

When I looked back, Freed was gazing here with gentle eyes.

Our faces spontaneously approached. Our lips touched, and just like that the kiss deepened.

Our tongues entangled.

“Nh… Nnh…”

“Cute, you're cute, Lidi… After all, can we do it once more before I go to work?”

“No, we can't… There's no time…”

“It's alright… I'll simply make Alex wait… Okay?”

“Eh… But”

“I want to enter Lidi once again”

“Nn…”

Freed's arm restlessly reached for my lower half. Hot and wet from the intercourse just before, my honey path easily swallowed Freed's finger.

“Nnh…”

“Soft… Looks like I can enter like this?”

Freed's finger stimulated the flesh wall to confirm. I could tell it wasn't his release from before, but my love juices that ran.

“Fu… Nu…”

“Fufu… Look how aroused it is. Lidi too wants it, huh”

Freed pulled out his finger and raised my hips. And like that he pressed his fierce ma.s.s against my honey mouth.

“Ah… Freed…”

“Lidi… I love you””

“Nh, me… too”

“Your Highness! It's time!”

“Fuwah!”

An exaggeratedly loud voice came from the other side of the door.

Surprised by the voice, I hurriedly separated from Freed.

“Hya… I was surprised…”

“Tch… It's Clara. I wanted to do it a little more…”

Freed clicked his tongue.

His face looked seriously frustrated.

“It's almost time… May I enter?”

“… I'll get ready. Wait five minutes”

“Certainly”

… Clara is strong.

Unlike me who doesn't refuse Freed at all, Clara properly gets her way.

As expected of a person attached to Freed since he was young.

Freed let out a large sigh and put on a robe.

He stood up from bed and looked back.

“It's unfortunate, but I'll save the rest for tonight… Lidi, if you don't feel like it, don't worry about not going to Esteemed Mother's tea party”

“Eh… It's not like that. She's Freed's mom, right? If possible, I want to get along with her”

“You don't need to worry. Because Esteemed Mother doesn't care about me anyway”

“Freed?”

I blinked my eyes at the words he spat out. Freed quickly returned his expression to normal.

“Aah, sorry. But, you really don't have to force yourself. No matter what happens, Lidi is set to become my princess consort. Okay?”

“Y, yup…”

I nodded to Freed's vague words meant to gloss over it.

“Then I'm going. Lidi should sleep until the last minute. I'll tell Clara… And then”

“What?”

Freed unnaturally cut off his words. Then he shook his head, and although he seemed to find it hard to say, he still spoke clearly.

“If there's something about Prince Maximilian that you haven't said, I want you to tell me. There are still things you haven't said, right?”

“Ah…”

Prince Maximilian… So many things happened I forgot.

Certainly, there is something I haven't told Freed.

Freed stared at me with an awkward face.

“There has been an increase of domestic activity in Sahaja. Lidi”

“Got it… I'll talk. I'm sorry for keeping it in so long”

I should have immediately talked when Cain's matter became known.

When I cast down my eyes feeling apologetic, my hair was stroked.

“Thanks. I'm late so I won't ask you to say it now, but I want you to tell me as soon as possible”

“Yup”

I have nothing to hide from him anymore. As soon as I nodded that I understand, Freed too returned a strong nod.

“Then, I'm seriously going now”

“Take care”

Freed stroked my hair again and left the bedroom.

At once I quickly put on the night clothes and crawled into bed.

Sahaja's matter.

Prince Maximilian's matter I haven't yet talked to Freed about.

As soon as possible… Let's talk tonight or tomorrow.

I recalled and pondered about various things, but before long I was a.s.sailed by sleepiness, and before I noticed I was soundly sleeping.

◇◇◇

“This way. Princess Consort”

“Yeah, thank you”

Led by a royal guard I arrived at the Queen's room.

I and Freed decided to live in the same room after getting married, but it seems different for the Queen.

The Queen's room is in a separate building from the King's private room I visited a few days ago.

From that alone you can infer about the relations.h.i.+p between the King and Queen in an instant. I felt ashamed of myself.

It's rude to poke my nose into their affairs out of curiosity. I shook my head to drown out those thoughts and knocked on the door.

“Enter”

“Excuse me”

With the permission to enter, I opened the door. Naturally, the royal guard didn't enter. He stood by in front of the door. He's fulfilling his duty as an escort.

Feeling tense, I entered the room. What first came into my sight were deep crimson walls. A large window leading to the balcony is left open, lace curtains are swaying. In the center of the room is an octagonal stained wood table and mahogany sofas with velvet fabric. Above a fireplace made of white marble, a large round mirror with golden border is mounted.

Overall, it's a bright, comfortable room with an open impression.

Smiling at me from inside was the owner of this room, the Queen of this country, Lady Elizabeth.

She's wearing a cream-colored dress that's tightly squeezing her waist. Because it's her private room, the accessories are kept to minimum. Naturally, on her chest is the white lily King's Flower.

“Thank you for coming. I have been looking forward to be able to talk with you like this”

“It is I who should say so. Thank you for the invitation. Queen”

After I greeted her according to the etiquette, the Queen shook her head in disagreement.

“You do not need to be like that. I and you are like sacrifices to this country. We are comrades who share the same anguish. You can relax”

“E… rr, yes”

I don't understand what the Queen tried to say.

Although surprised by the Queen's unfair words like sacrifice, I sat down on the indicated spot.

“I am thinking of having the dress fitting after a short break, are you alright with that?”

“Yes, Queen. Naturally”

When I agreed, the door opened, and court ladies came in pus.h.i.+ng a tea trolley.

There was a pot of black tea and many confectioneries that go with tea. It's nothing but my favorites. I blinked my eyes wondering if it was prepared in advance.

“I have prepared your favorites… However, do they by chance not suit your fancy?”

“No, I was simply surprised it's nothing but my favorites. Thank you for specially preparing them for me”

“If that is the case, I am glad. Everybody, withdraw. I want to talk with Princess alone”

“Yes, Queen. Please call us in case you have any business with us”

In accordance with the Queen's words, the court ladies who served tea respectfully bowed their heads and left the room.

Inside the room only I and the Queen remained.

For a while, we only continued drinking tea together.

I didn't know what to talk about. Eventually, the Queen put down her teacup and met eyes with me. Her eyes like amber looked at me.

“Queen…?”

“Isn't it harsh?”

“E… rr?”

 I couldn't react to the words she muttered to me. When I tilted my head, with a serious look the Queen said.

“I have heard about my son and you. My son is completely obsessed with you, recently he does not part from you until morning… Really, what a thing. Isn't your body in pain? I am sure you are sick of it, right. Even if n.o.body else understands, I alone do”

“Fueh… Eh…?”

It got exposed we do it until morning!? Eh! How!?

Freed's room should be perfectly soundproofed with the barrier.

I've heard Clara's voice in the morning is audible thanks to Freed adjusting the barrier, but at night… Freed promised he'd never let my voice be heard.

That's why I didn't mind…

How did it get exposed, and how much…

Seeing me turn pale, the Queen seemed to understand what I was worried about.

With her eyebrows lowered a little, she said to soothe me.

“Calm down. It's alright. I was incredibly worried, therefore I questioned Clara… Even though he was originally reasonable, nowadays he seems to know no restraint… I am truly embarra.s.sed by my son”

“Eh… No, umm”

The Queen knit her brows.

I'm glad… The source was Clara.

For now I was relieved to know that.

It can't be helped if it came from Clara. She surely can't go against the Queen's order. Thinking about it, it's natural the Queen would be interested in her son.

But, but see.

After all it was exposed to Clara we do it until morning…

Uu, I'm embarra.s.sed…

No wonder recently Clara allows me to go back to sleep without saying anything.

Come to think of it, she said things like “I apologize for not giving you enough sleep” yesterday.

I let it pa.s.s, but she spoke that line because she understood everything…

“Aaaaa…”

I was so unbearably ashamed I leaked a small voice.

Perhaps misunderstanding it, the Queen said with pity.

“I understand. It surely is harsh, isn't it. Really, all Wilhelm men are… Regardless whether it is day or night they are at their peak… My son was called names like the upstanding Crown Prince, however beneath that he is ultimately the same as the King. After all, like father, like son. I was foolish to expect a little self-control of him”

“No… I…”

“What is the most frightening is that the surroundings recommend it. When I married into Wilhelm I was also told. It's a lineage where it's difficult to have a child, therefore work hard… I understand that. I was also raised as royalty, albeit of another country. I will not say I do not understand what task is the most desired for a queen… However, who would imagine? That it would be nightly… no, daily thing, moreover it would not end with two or three times!”