"Isaac. Have you ever been caught by that kid?"
As soon as Marie returned to the dormitory at 6 o'clock, the appointment time, Nicole asked me a question. Moving her gaze to her, I could see her face filled with her worries and concerns.
It seems that he was concerned that the secret might not have been revealed after seeing the friendly relationship between me and Marie. However, contrary to her concerns, except for a few mistakes, she was never caught.
"Don't worry. We haven't been caught. We're still just friends, buddy."
"…yes?"
Nicole asks a question and gives a very suspicious look. Seeing that, she was a little baffled.
Did he just know who he was and was a loner without real friends? I know that my friendships aren't good, but seeing Nicole's eyes like that made me feel a little hurt.
"What, those eyes? Are those eyes that you can't believe?"
"Um… you don't need to know. Anyway, he doesn't know your secrets at all, does he?
It would not be a mistake to have a strong feeling that the topic was changed in a hurry for some reason. I put aside the doubts that came up in my mind and answered.
"I've made some mistakes, but that's okay."
"If it's a mistake… Did you show me the picture last time? Could it be that he was that kid?"
I nodded my head silently as she asked for confirmation with her eyes wide open.
Nicole knows that I accidentally showed the drawing to someone else. However, she had no idea that it was Marie who had committed her mistake. 'Cause if she let me know, she'd buy me nothing to worry about.
But now that I've gotten to know Marie, I thought it might be ok to tell you about this.
"Whoa…"
The reaction was slightly different from what I expected. Nicole looked me in the face and sighed heavily. For me, it was a reaction that had no choice but to be a little nervous.
Then she seemed to think for a moment and then spoke to me in a calm voice.
"…Isaac. Did you also receive a letter from your father?"
"You mean the tail was stomped on?"
At my question, Nicole nodded in affirmation. She seems to have received a letter from her parents, just like me.
However, unlike me, she seemed to take the current situation quite seriously, but upon closer examination of her expression, she was hardened.
Maybe another letter went to Nicole, so maybe it has something to do with it. I tilted my head, but for a moment, anxiety crept up, and I opened my mouth with a cautious voice.
"Didn't that mean you don't have to worry about your mother?
My mother's letter to me said not to worry, and literally said that there would be no major problems as the tail was trampled on. To be honest, other than that, there was nothing different from the greetings I usually send.
Of course, that didn't mean he was acting as usual, he was being careful to some extent. Today, a large division almost fell because of the question that Marie came in by surprise, but now it is a situation in which it has passed safely.
Seeing my reaction, Nicole made a more complicated expression. She looked like the faces of her parents, who had put their children on the water.
"…Isaac. Do you know what it means to be stomped on by the tail?"
Nicole asked me a question in a voice that was weaker than before. Hearing the question, I intuitively noticed that something was strange and nodded silently.
Nicole stared at me for a while, then shook her head from side to side after a while. His brain seems complicated.
"…No. I'll tell you about this later. Let's have dinner now."
"…Yeah. By the way, how about Adele sister?"
"Suddenly he said he couldn't come today because something happened. When I asked the reason, he said that today is the day the letter from home arrives. He said that it was the first letter he received in almost a year."
"yes?"
It was a little sad, but I could understand her feelings. She must have missed the letter from her home for her, since she hadn't heard of her house for a year.
My home location is pretty close to Halo Academy, so it's only a week at the most, but no one else. Usually a week is the default, and if the house is far away, it may take more than a month in some places.
The commoners are particularly harsh, because among the laws of the Empire, there is a law that prioritizes the mail of the nobles. This is because nobles are often in charge of government affairs, so every single post is important in many cases.
However, he cannot send mail by magic, so he has no choice but to use a wagon. As a result, it took a very long time from sending the letter to the recipient to receive it.
"Where on earth does Adele noona live to receive a letter after a year?"
"Well? I've asked him before, and he said he lives a bit farther away. First of all, I'm pretty sure it's not the Minerva Empire."
"Hmm. Maybe it's a nobleman who has hidden his identity, isn't it?"
"He looks like a nobleman. At first I thought he was a nobleman. But he wasn't. I'm sure he was a commoner."
Nicole had made such an assertion that she couldn't ask any more questions. I thought of Adelia's beauty, which would be unbelievable for a commoner, in her mind, and then immediately put it away.
Now, eating with Nicole takes priority over Adelia. It was a meal with Nicole and no one else, so you can have dinner comfortably…
"Well?"
"…Leort-sama?"
…there were times when I thought there would be. Until I ran into Leort at the front door of the restaurant where we had planned to have dinner.
"Hello? It's a coincidence."
"…Iknow, right."
Even Lina was by Leort's side. I greeted her with a trembling heart as I waved her hand with Lina's happy smile.
I don't know how this came about in English, but it seems that Leort and Lina were also going to have a meal together. Seeing that he was wearing school uniform rather than plain clothes, it seemed that he had made an appointment in advance.
But who would have known that they would meet at the same restaurant as the brother and sister in front, at the same time in front of the restaurant's front door? It was an absurd probability.
I had a gut feeling that things were getting twisted up inside me, so I looked at the two of them and checked Nicole's face. She had a look of embarrassment as she could not have imagined that neither she nor she would meet the two of them.
"Are you guys here for dinner too?"
As the nuances subsided, Leort asked us in a low-pitched voice that was pleasant to hear. Nicole came to his senses and responded urgently.
"Oh, yes. That's right. I'm here to eat with Isaac."
"Hmm…"
"… …"
After Nicole's answer, Leort looked at the brothers and sisters in turn, and then raised the corners of his mouth. I couldn't help but feel ominous when I saw that smile.
I was hoping that the ominous thing wouldn't come true, but unfortunately, the ominous premonition is always right.
Then Leort reached out and offered us a soft voice.
"Why don't we have a meal like this now? I'll pay all the price. I have something to tell you guys at the same time."
"…all right."
It was only a suggestion, but in reality it was close to being forced. Who would reject the proposal of a powerful prince as the next emperor?
Nicole knows it all too well, so it seems that she accepted it reluctantly. Even if he refuses, Leort isn't a person with a back end, so it'll be fine, but there's nothing good about making him feel uncomfortable.
Above all, there is one aspect of Leort's proposal that worries me. That is to say that we have a story to tell.
If you dare to say such a thing, there is a possibility that it will become an important issue for us, good or bad. Neither Nicole had any reason to refuse, and she would have agreed, curious as to what Leort was going to say.
"Okay. Isaac How are you?"
"I don't mind either."
"Okay. Then let's go in. As I said before, I'll pay all the money, so you can do anything without any hesitation."
"really?"
"Isaac."
When I asked with the nuance of whether I was really okay with it, Nicole sternly urged me next to him. Only then did I realize that I had made a speech mistake and quickly shut my mouth.
However, Leort replied with a faint smile, wondering if he liked the way I looked.
"Hahaha. Of course. You can do whatever you want. Be it steak or wine."
"Isaac. You haven't forgotten who we are, have you?"
"… …"
Behind Leort's answer, Lina asked with a teasing smile. I blinked her eyes after hearing Lina's teasing, and her face began to burn in the rush of embarrassment.
What kind of people are the siblings in front of you? They are the imperial family that ruled the Minerva Empire. If they had wealth, they would be so abundant that they rot.
So it's stupid to ask such a question. Nicole knew it too, so he called my name.
Originally, I tend to think twice before speaking, but now that the situation is the situation, it just came out of my mouth.
"ha…"
"… …"
Nicole next to me sighed in shame, but I couldn't say anything.
Perhaps it was fun to see us like that, Lina covered her mouth with her hand and smiled cautiously. It made her even more embarrassed.
"Is there any room for 4 people with good soundproofing? You don't have to worry about money."
"Okay. Please follow me for a moment."
After a few incidents, Leorth asked the waiter to reserve a room. However, the characteristics of the room that Leort wanted were a little strange.
It's not an ordinary four-person room, it's a soundproofed four-person room. Unless it's a very important story, there's no point in choosing a soundproof room.
Was it from then? Anxiety and worry began to writhe from deep within. I felt something strong and looked at Nicole.
Nicole was also keeping her mouth shut as if she sensed that things were going strangely. His expression also hardened a little.
"If you want to call the staff, just ring the bell here."
"Thank you."
"Then have a good time."
Eventually, he entered the four-person room that Leorth had requested of the employee, which was also soundproofed.
I looked around the room as the waiter closed the door. It was quite spacious for a dining area.
Overall, the design was no different from an ordinary restaurant. There is only a square table in the middle of a large room.
Since it's a soundproof space, I thought it would give off a secret atmosphere, but it's different from what I expected.
"Let's go to sleep. Come on, sit down. Lina, you sit next to me."
"Okay. Isaac, sit down too."
"…Yeah."
I obediently followed Lina's instructions and sat down in the chair. Of course, Nicole was next to me.
By the way, Leort and Lina were seated first before we sat down. So I was facing Lina and Nicole was facing Leort.
"…I couldn't say hello because I wasn't in a good mood. My name is Nicole Ducker Michel, Isaac's older sister and the eldest daughter of the Michelle family. It's an honor to meet the princess who will become the sun of the empire."
Before the awkward atmosphere subsided, Nicole introduced herself first, evoking the atmosphere. Come to think of it, even though Nicole and Leort knew each other, Lina met for the first time.
At this, Lina faced Nicole, who introduced herself in a hard tone. She then smiled softly and placed her hand on the center of her chest as she greeted her in imperial manners.
"Nice to meet you, Nicole. As you may know, I am Lina Urmi Christine, the first princess of the Minerva Empire. Please feel free to call me Lina, not Princess."
"I see. But…"
When Nicole finished greeting her, she looked at Lina and Leort in turn. Their smiles were also similar, in case anyone was not brother and sister.
The question is, does that smile give me a strong feeling that it is hiding a plan? Even I feel the same way, so must be Nicole.
At that, Nicole opened her mouth with a voice full of caution and caution.
"…May I ask what you're talking about, what I'm really excited about?"
"Before that, you'd better place an order. Let's talk about that after all meals."
"…all right."
I think I'm going to finish eating all of them. Nicole graciously accepted Leort's request.
"By the way, did Isaac like wine? He drank very well at the last meeting."
"…Yeah?"
Then, suddenly, Lina across from me kindly brought out the Black History. It was such a sudden story, so I was taken aback for a moment, but Nicole is the most problematic.
As soon as Lina said those words, she quickly turned her head and looked at me.
His eyes are asking him to explain what the princess Lina, the princess, is saying because of what she did at the meeting.
I hurriedly waved my hands at her terrifying gaze and said hurriedly. I don't know what the misunderstanding was, but I didn't really do anything.
"Hey, he was just drinking wine! Nothing happened! It's real!"
"…really?"
"Huh. It's true. Instead, I drank too much wine and slept in a chair."
"Isak?"
Why do you even bring up such a story? Even when I look at it with a gaze close to resentment, Lina only smiles that it is fun.
Could it be that he refused his invitation at that time and harbored resentment? Unlike other people, she's not close with Lina, so I don't even know that.
"Then you can order wine as well. You said you drank it at the meeting, so it's AL Kyion?"
"…Yeah."
"Okay. What do you guys want to eat?"
"I…"
Surprisingly, the meal itself went without any problems. Even though the family meal I expected went across the water, I have no choice but to plan for that later.
Moreover, thanks to Leort who made the atmosphere comfortable, we were able to have conversations comfortably. Lina also brought out interesting stories in the middle to make the atmosphere comfortable.
In fact, it can be said that having a meal with the royal family like this is unconventional from my point of view.
Having a meal with a powerful prince as the next emperor means that you are close with him, and furthermore, it coincides with the meaning of establishing a solid political position from the very beginning.
If someone in my family enters the political world, it will be a great network for them, but as you know, my family is far from politics. I also hate throwing myself into complicated politics.
So the meal could be finished in less than an hour. It was originally a restaurant I frequented, but because it was an expensive steak, it tasted much better than the one I ate before.
"It looks like the meal is almost over, so let's talk about what we want to tell you."
As I was satisfied with the feeling of fullness, Leorth said, wiping around his mouth with a napkin. I concentrated on his words, feeling the relaxed atmosphere disappearing.
Nicole, who was cleaning up, was startled as soon as Leort spoke and looked at him.
When our brothers and sisters all turned to Leort, Leort opened his mouth, gently putting a napkin on the table.
It was a supple yet soft voice, with a tone that pierces the ears.
"As I said before, even if we didn't meet today, I was planning to call you guys separately in the future. It was just a coincidence that we met today."
"… …"
"Do you know who the author of Zeno's biography is?"
It is a question that already looms ominous. At the same time, his father's letter, 'The tail was trampled on,' flashed vividly in his mind.
The atmosphere, the rumors that we were going to call us separately later, and the question we asked.
I expected it to a certain extent, but when Leorth, who was no one else, said something like that, the ripple effect was beyond my imagination. The blood all over his body cooled and his heart began to beat violently.
"…I do not know."
Unlike me, who couldn't even open his mouth, Nicole responded as calmly as possible. But her voice was a little shaky, as she was also nervous about her current situation.
In the meantime, Leorte, who heard Nicole's answer, gasped and spoke in a characteristic low-pitched tone.
"But if you have a long tail, you will always be trampled on. Even if it is the author of Zeno's biography."
"… …"
"The person who submitted the manuscript to the publishing house was just a messenger. It resembled a lizard tail, so when I researched it, nothing came out. That must have been about ten days ago."
The letter was received exactly two days ago as of today. It coincided with the time it took his father to write a letter to me when he heard that his tail had been trampled on.
While I was thinking about it, Leort raised the corners of his mouth and continued. A smile full of relaxation.
"In the end, I couldn't see it, so I pressured the publisher to show them the contract, but that didn't mean much. It's enough to sign a contract using a pseudonym. So, I tried to stop pressuring the publisher. Until I happened to check their tax bills. "
"If you pay taxes… you mean taxes?"
When Nicole asked a question, Leort nodded.
"Yeah. Taxes. As you know, taxes are more complicated than you think. According to the law, the amount you have to pay varies greatly. And publishers also paid taxes according to the tax rate. Actually, there is no problem so far. Because the publisher is supposed to pay taxes in advance, but the problem here is that they are supposed to pay taxes one more time here."
"… …"
"If you don't know what I mean, when a commoner gains income, he or she only has to pay a tax to the lord once according to the tax rate, but he is not a lord. It's to make it difficult to build wealth."
Regardless of East and West, 'wealth' is directly related to power. If you have money, you can increase military power, or you can make life easier for permanent residents by increasing welfare than before.
Besides, in this world, 'money' is well developed. A well-developed currency means that the economy has made great progress, and the power of the country is strengthened to that extent.
However, unlike the economic power of the Minerva Empire, science is not keeping pace. The tax rate that Leort mentioned earlier also has to be calculated manually, so there are a lot of setbacks.
But who would have known that the problem would cause his tail to be trampled on?
I swallowed my saliva and looked at Leort quietly. His fists were clenched and he could feel the cold sweat running down his cheeks.
"Paying taxes twice means that you are aristocrats, not commoners. How did you know this is because the tax rates are subtly different for each. It took a long time to notice because they combined them into one rather than separate tax payment. There were traces of tax payment because it had to be calculated by hand."
"… …"
"Anyway, the tax was divided into two and went to different places. One to the lord of the territory where the publishing house is located. Another to our empire without going through the lord. But it never comes directly. There was one place. We tracked it back and figured out who we were going through."
Leorth was speechless and then looked at me and Nicole with a smirk. My heart pounded like it was about to explode, and sweat was pouring out of my clenched fists.
Nicole was no different. Because she had her golden eyes trembling relentlessly and clenching her fists like mine.
Soon after, Leort spoke out a name he never wanted to hear from our brothers and sisters.
"Hawk Ducker Michelle."
"… …"
"He was the commander of the Navy Knights, and a knight who raged with the red lion."
To be honest, I thought it was over the moment my father's name came out of Leorth's mouth. So he closed his eyes tightly.
"And the supposed author of Zeno's biography."
"…?"
Until Leorth mistook his father for a writer, not me.