I can fully understand why Lina is asking for her time. It must have been to calm the storm that began to rage while taking a break from Xenon's biography.
However, one thing to think about here is that Lina came directly to me without calling me through a spokesperson. She met by chance last time, but in a case like this one, she may have called me by someone else.
In other words, it means that the situation is serious enough that Lina has to come to me quickly and solve it. I heard that protests were taking place all over the empire, both in the newspapers and in the people around me.
For the Haiya Empire, a major incident like the 'Zeros Revolution' occurred in the kingdom of Ters, which is a neighboring country and rival, so it would not be easy to pass it on. For these reasons, it may be natural for her princess, Lina, to show her low self-esteem.
"But do you really have to?"
"Do you know what you're going to do to Isaac?"
By the way, it's not just me and Lina, but also Marie. As mentioned above, Marie was afraid that Lina would say something strange to me, so I followed her.
It's me, it doesn't matter, but it's not Lina. For Lina, a secret story comes and goes, but when Marie insists on her, it can only be a bit annoying.
Of course, on the premise that Marie doesn't know my secret. She glanced at Lina to see if Marie was also aware of this part.
Lina had a cold expression with her poker face completely broken and frowned upon. She snorted her as if Marie didn't like her, then raised one corner of her lips and replied calmly.
"And do I know Isaac's secret? You didn't think you were the only one, didn't you?"
"What? What does that mean…"
In response to Marie's answer, Lina looked at me momentarily. She then took turns looking at Marie, who then bit her tightly.
It's an understandable response. She looked in front of her and murmured in a low, submerged voice.
"…Yeah. Since we're in a relationship like that, I might be able to tell you something like a secret."
"Yeah. That's right. I didn't force anyone to reveal the secret under pressure like anyone else."
"I didn't press…!"
Lina tried to shout, perhaps crying at Marie's sarcastic remarks, but barely suppressed it. Then she glanced at me.
It seems that I was stabbed myself. Indeed, the gap that arises from class differences is enormous, and increases exponentially if it is a leadership class.
Moreover, Lina entered the political world from an early age, so there is no way she is unaware of that fact. She actually took advantage of that gap when she pressed me and Nicole, and made Jackson her slave during her group assignments.
Unless you're an empty-headed or really stupid idiot, Lina should know that. She said that she can put pressure on others just by her existence.
And Lina must have misunderstood that I decided to take a break because I couldn't stand the pressure. The real reason was that she decided to take a break to have time to recharge in addition to her studies.
But there is no reason to feel pressure. If Lina and Leort hadn't put pressure on me, I could have continued to write like this.
"…Let's go to the cafe first. I want it to be resolved as soon as possible."
Lina urged us with a voice that seemed already tired. She didn't say anything to Marie and she decided not to tease her anymore.
I looked at Lina in an atmosphere that seemed to go away already, and met Marie's eyes. When Marie made eye contact with me, she smirked, and she gently folded her arms.
Then, he gently pulled it towards his chest, and I only smiled even though I could feel the unique soft touch of my chest beyond the school uniform.
Since I've done so many affectionate acts like this, I wasn't ashamed anymore even though my face was a little red.
"…looks good."
Lina looked at the two of us with a subtle gaze even when they were there. I let out a slightly embarrassed laugh at him, but Marie opened her mouth as she clasped her arms tighter as if to see this.
"Are you envy? Are you envy? Even if you envy me, I will never hand over your son."
"I don't have a hobby of stealing someone else's boyfriend."
"I can't believe you when you say that."
Again, Marie strongly distrusts Rina. Lina only smiled bitterly at her, but she didn't say anything back.
When I see this, I always have an idea. What really happened between the two of them to create such a relationship?
To the extent that Marie, who has a good personality, is so distrustful, it is clear that Lina has made a big mistake. Of course, there could be some misunderstanding between the two of them, so she thought it would be good to hear from her later.
"By the way, is there Leort-sama too? When I called Isaac and Isaac's sister, he said that Leort-sama was there too."
"…Your brother has now returned to the Imperial Palace for an emergency meeting. He's probably being scolded a lot by now."
"To His Majesty the Emperor?"
In response to Marie's question, Lina silently nodded her head. I couldn't help but be surprised to hear that.
If the emperor calls the Crown Prince and reprimands them, the situation is serious. Maybe Leort will apologize to me and Nicole later.
'Wait a minute. Come to think of it, don't you call Nicole?'
It is normal to have to call Nicole to apologize. But Lina was the only one who called me. That point is bound to be a bit daunting.
I looked at Lina's back as she stood in the front and walked. Lina too, as if she felt my gaze, turned her head back and met her eyes.
"Do you have anything to say? I can feel your gaze."
"I don't want to call my sister."
"Your brother will meet Nicole."
It seems that Leort returned to the Imperial Palace. He was not convinced, but he still apologizes, so he can move on.
After that, I arrived at the cafe Lina took me to, and even got a room with good soundproofing and security. The cafe is the same place she came to the last time she was alone with Cecily.
After all, it was a place where I almost had an accident with Cecily, so I felt a strange feeling. The difference from back then is that Marie is sitting next to me and Lina is sitting across from me.
As I was thinking about it as I looked around, the staff opened the door. Even though I didn't order it, it looks like the drink was prepared in advance.
"Like I said before, don't come back until I call you, okay?"
"all right."
It looks like you made a reservation in advance. Lina seems to have predicted in advance that she wouldn't say no to me.
Of course, even if she refused, it is highly probable that Lina did not pay much attention to it. She's not like anyone else, she's a princess, and she wouldn't dare to object to a cafe.
I looked at the coffee rising in smoke and then looked at Lina's face. Lina reached out her hand as if she could drink and opened her mouth.
"You can drink. There is nothing strange about it, so don't get me wrong."
"thank you."
"Why don't I give it to you?"
Marie, sitting next to me, grumbled. In fact, nothing was placed in front of her Marie.
Perhaps Lina was only going to call me, so Marie's thing would not have been reserved in advance.
"I was planning to call only Isaac. You broke in at will."
"Ah. Is that so? But that's a good thing. I can stop you from doing nonsense."
"Marie. I'm not as clever as you think. It was really unavoidable back then."
"Even if it was unavoidable, you shouldn't have done that. Then…"
Even if trauma was stimulated, Marie's emotions could be felt more and more elevated. I held Marie's hand silently as her voice showed signs of getting higher and higher.
Marie trembled greatly when I grabbed her hand and looked at me. Then, as soon as she met my face, she let out a long snort to see if her anger had subsided and said quietly.
"…Yeah. That's not what's important right now. I'll figure it out for now."
"Thanks for your understanding. And… Isaac."
"Yes. Lina-sama."
I answered Lina's call with a characteristic blunt tone. Lina looked at me with her stiff face from her tension, and then she let out a deep sigh.
It was very pitiful for her to be engulfed in trouble, but she did not feel sorry. In fact, they were right.
Then, Lina came face to face with my face, and then she put on a determined expression on her face. She looked at it and thought that something big was coming soon, so she waited quietly.
"…I'll start with this. My brother is assuming that your father, Sir Hawk, is the author of Zeno's biography. But I'm different. Sir Hawk simply tells his own experiences, and he thinks you are the real author. Yes, right?"
"Yeah."
"Yeah… that's right."
I was able to answer calmly because I had no intention of denying it as much as Tickle. Lina heard her answer and nodded her head, and she spoke to her one after another.
"Then… is it because of us that Xenon's biography was on hiatus?"
"… …"
"I won't make excuses that it wasn't intentional. I know for sure that my very existence can be a great pressure on others. It must have been a great pressure on you in that situation."
I didn't say anything. I plan to keep her mouth shut until Lina brings out her point.
"So, I mean…"
After a moment's silence, she looked at me and brought out the main topic in a voice that lost her confidence.
"Because of us… did you decide to take a break?"
"… …"
"I really want to ask if you were really hurt because we put pressure on you."
I thought deeply inwardly at her question, which seemed pathetic. As she said before, the reason she decided to take a break is to study and recharge.
But if Lina and Leort hadn't put the pressure on me, I wouldn't have even thought of that. It cannot be denied that the root cause lies with these two.
I glanced at Lina's anxious expression, then quietly opened my mouth.
"I can't say no."
"… …"
Lina couldn't control her emotions at my vague answer, so she closed her lips. It seems that she is starting to lose control of her emotions.
I thought it was a surprise to Lina who had her lips closed, and then touched the back of her neck. Now it seemed like I had to get my mind out of the way.
"The reason I decided to take a break was for the academy life and recharging, that is, to establish the setting. But the fundamental reason was that there was a lot of pressure from people around me.
"… …"
"As I say in advance, I have no intention of overturning the hiatus. I am the type of person who does not withdraw a decision once I have made it."
As soon as I spoke, Lina hesitated with a more complex expression on her face. Even though I can't see it right now, the two hands hidden under the table are also wriggling with anxiety.
"…okay."
Lina, who had been contemplating for a while, made a determined expression and looked straight into my face. She doesn't even care about Marie sitting next to me.
And…
"sorry."
Lina bowed her head slowly and apologized to me. Her hair, as if woven from her gold thread, slowly fell down and was gently placed on the table.
I opened my eyes to her apple and raised my chin slowly. It was expected, but the princess, the daughter of the emperor, bowed her head to me and apologized.
I felt strange emotions creeping up in my chest once more, just like when Cecily sent me a letter.
"If the writer has suffered emotionally because of us, we apologize once again."
"… …"
"I will not ask you to reverse the hiatus. However, if you look at the current situation, as you know, protests are taking place everywhere and spreading to the point where it is difficult to suppress it. So please… Can you help me solve this situation?"
I realized one thing as I listened to the request that Lina had brought out even as she bowed her head.
'…to be famous is scary."
Indeed, the level of influence that I have in the world far exceeds the level of immense influence.
'I can't even take a break.'
He said that he would not be able to take a leave of his own accord in the future.