I am the High King.
I finished the massive undertaking of meeting Lady Tiselle's father.
What a sense of relief.
Now, all that's left is to go home.
...Or so I wish.
Based on the policies decided during the conference, we still have to finalize details regarding commercial transactions and trade.
Well, my companions will handle those things, not me.
That's what they came along for, after all.
I hope they do their best.
As for me, I will be handling personal invitations.
I've received quite a few.
First up was Lady Yoko, the Acting Village Head of Village Five.
"Didn't we just meet together at the conference with Lady Tiselle's father?"
I wanted to say that, but the invitation had already arrived.
Apparently, she wanted to discuss something she couldn't bring up in that setting.
I wonder what it could be.
I politely stated that I had no authority to make arbitrary decisions on my own, but she hinted that it concerned the Third Princess of the Gozran Kingdom.
I couldn't refuse that.
Accepting the invitation, I accompanied the messenger sent to guide me.
Our destination was a private room in a large restaurant.
This establishment boasts of its noodle dishes and apparently serves ramen as well.
Splendid.
She truly understands me.
Besides, this meant it wasn't a reprimand or anything of the sort.
If it were, she wouldn't invite me to a ramen shop... or rather, a restaurant.
I felt at ease.
Inside the private room were Lady Yoko and two secretaries.
Along with an unfamiliar young girl... Wait.
I've seen her somewhere before.
Ah, she's the girl who was selling cakes!
Huh?
Considering why she's here...
Could she be the Third Princess of the Gozran Kingdom?
There were people who looked like bodyguards around her, so was there any doubt?
In her self-introduction, she stated that she was the Third Princess.
There was no mistake.
Ah, um.
First, let me apologize.
I apologized for proposing marriage without knowing her age and inadvertently sparking a war.
I really had just wanted a civil official.
"In other words, you did not actually desire a wife?"
I nodded honestly at Lady Yoko's confirmation.
I had heard that the Third Princess was involved in domestic affairs and was quite capable, so I simply assumed she was of an appropriate age.
My thought process was to seek marriage, and if that failed, to ask for someone who could assist with administrative affairs.
However, they were enraged by the marriage proposal and attacked, so I had no choice but to fight back.
I am truly sorry.
I have no intention of laying a hand on the Third Princess anymore, and members of the Gozran royal family have survived as well.
If she wished to return to her homeland, I offered to arrange...
I was rejected outright.
Apparently, the Third Princess aims to become a pastry chef in Village Five.
...I see.
Just as I saw a future in ramen, the Third Princess saw a future in cakes.
I will genuinely support her.
However, I asked her to at least let her parents and siblings know that she is safe.
After all, they fought a war to protect her.
A letter would suffice.
I will deliver it personally.
I will also take letters from those who accompanied the Third Princess.
I asked them to prepare them before my departure from Village Five.
After finalizing the method of delivering the letters, the discussion concluded.
Well then, time to eat.
I'll have the ramen recommended by this shop.
As for the portion size... Since a large serving might throw off the balance of flavors, I'll start with a regular size.
I want to taste this shop at its best.
Lady Yoko chose kitsune udon, while the Third Princess and her bodyguards chose a long, thin pasta dish.
One of Lady Yoko's secretaries mentioned that perhaps everyone should eat the same dish on such an occasion, but I don't mind at all.
People should eat what they like.
Indeed.
Next was an invitation from Lady Ruincia, the Assistant Chief of the Angel Race.
To put it simply, Lady Ruincia is Lady Tiselle's grandmother.
I want to refuse.
Yet, I cannot refuse.
If I turn her down, she might march straight into my kingdom.
That would be a bit much.
Yeah.
While part of me wants to drag everyone in my country into this mess, it really wouldn't be a laughing matter if I actually did.
So, I did my best.
I'm telling you, I gave it my all!
The place where I met Lady Ruincia was a restaurant called Kuro and Yuki.
It wasn't a private room, but I was guided to a table set in a spacious area at the back.
Drinks were served immediately.
She must have ordered in advance.
For now, I can't leave until I finish drinking this.
Can I down it in one go?
It looks hot, though...
Ah, there's even a pot containing tea for refills.
...
I almost burned my mouth and throat for nothing.
"Um, thank you very much for inviting me today.
Yes, this is about Lady Tiselle, right?
I reported everything to Lady Tiselle's father, but was there anything missing?
Lady Tiselle is doing very well, you know."
................................
Lady Ruincia remained silent.
What is... this?
What kind of test is this?
W-W-What should I do?
Even if I look around for help...
Ah, it's no use.
Everyone surrounding us is an Angel.
When did that happen?
I didn't even notice.
I let my guard down because the manager of this shop is an elf.
And that shop manager is... far away.
On top of that, he's attending to customers.
He doesn't look like he can save me.
Ugh.
D-Do I just have to endure it?
Will things work out if I just hold out?
The tea is... still hot.
Gulping it all down would be difficult.
...W-Wait.
Why am I thinking about running away?
I am a king.
Yes, a king!
A king does not flee!
I must not run away!
No matter how great the hardship, I must stand and face it without fleeing!
I must show my people what it looks like to face adversity!
I look straight into Lady Ruincia's eyes!
...Scary.
I-I think a strategic retreat is unavoidable.
Yes, in that case, it isn't running away.
It's the same as regrouping.
Nobody calls regrouping "running away."
Yup, they don't.
In the first place, there are no citizens of my kingdom here.
My companions aren't here either.
The instant they heard the counterpart was an Angel, they fled.
Therefore, it is perfectly fine for me to flee as well!
The problem is whether she will let me get away.
She doesn't seem to have any openings.
She's staring right at me, ready to respond the moment combat breaks out.
W-What should I do?
Hurl the cup of tea at her and use the opening to...
Impossible.
I'd be killed before I could even try.
C-Calm down.
The opponent is an Angel.
I must not think I can win through martial prowess.
If I am to win, it must be with brains.
............
As if I could ever beat an Angel in a battle of wits!
Phew.
I've calmed down.
Or rather, I've given up.
It was a short life.
I wonder what they'll write on my gravestone.
Just as I was escaping reality like that, help arrived.
It was Lady Tiselle's father.
He sat at the table with me and Lady Ruincia and acted as her interpreter.
...
An interpreter?
Was she speaking?
No?
With the movement of her wings?
Um, excuse me, normal people cannot hold conversations through the wing movements of an Angel, you know?
N-No, complaints can wait.
For now, I'll just accept it.
And as long as a conversation can be established, there is no problem.
Relying on the interpretation of Lady Tiselle's father, I conveyed everything I knew.
No lies.
No exaggerations.
Completely honest.
I survived.
Thank goodness.
Afterward, I heard the circumstances from Lady Tiselle's father... the Village Head.
Why Lady Ruincia hadn't spoken, that is.
Simply put, a grandmother prying into her grandchild's affairs is bound to be disliked.
Yet, she was curious.
There were mountains of things she wanted to ask.
However, asking might cause Lady Tiselle to dislike her.
That internal conflict was the cause of that silence.
Hmm, what a hassle.
Well, as compensation for the trouble, I was promised plenty of souvenirs for my country, so I suppose all's well that ends well.
...
Can I really say that?
Isn't that a bit cheap as compensation for being prepared to die?
Huh?
You'll even arrange the transport?
Thank you very much.
By the way, the person who called Lady Tiselle's father was the manager of that shop, Kuro and Yuki.
He noticed that I seemed to be in trouble.
Thank you so much!
Following Lady Ruincia, there was an invitation from Lady Yuri, the Demon King's daughter.
Since I had no prior connection with Lady Yuri, I wondered what business she could possibly have, but I had no idea.
The request came directly from her... so it probably wasn't an arranged marriage meeting.
If it were a matchmaking meeting, an intermediary would have arranged it.
Ah, is that just common sense from my perspective?
Things might be different in the Demon Kingdom.
Even in the books at the library, there were many assertive women.
Still, considering our respective positions, an arranged marriage should be out of the question.
Hmm, then what could her business be?
W-Well, I'll find out once we meet.
Before meeting her, I asked Count Pugyal about Lady Yuri's personality.
I couldn't catch Count Chrome, after all.
Count Pugyal's reply was that she had become decent recently.
...
Recently?
Does that mean she wasn't decent before?
Was she an outrageous princess who would suddenly wage war on a whim?
N-No way.
And what business could such a person have with me?
Let me give you the conclusion.
It was an arranged marriage meeting.
And it did not go through.
Because the Demon King burst in and wrecked the whole thing.
Thank you, Demon King.
That being said, why did it turn into a matchmaking meeting in the first place?
Lady Yuri didn't seem to know it was an arranged marriage meeting either.
Whose idea was this?
Count Chrome, who was there for some reason, raised his hand.
Was it you?!
No?
To be precise, it was Count Chrome's mother's idea?
Count Chrome's mother believed there was no suitable partner for Lady Yuri within the Demon Kingdom, so she thought they had no choice but to look abroad.
Then, since I happened to arrive, she set things up to see how things would go.
She had asked Lady Yuri to meet me regarding a different matter entirely.
I see, I see.
Ah, um, I don't know the culture of the Demon Kingdom, so I can't say much, but wouldn't it be safer to introduce people at a small party or something first, rather than jumping straight into a marriage meeting?
At first, since we were meeting for the first time, we were strictly discussing official duties.
To the point where I wouldn't have noticed at all if the Demon King hadn't burst in shouting his opposition to the marriage.
Besides, I don't recall ever meeting Count Chrome's mother, so it's quite bold of her to set up a meeting with a man like me.
We've met?
I haven't met any such woman at Count Chrome's mansion, though?
Don't tell me she was dressed as a maid?
No?
She was dressed as a shop clerk?
Huh?
Dressed as a clerk, running a shop in Village Five?
...
D-Don't tell me, the shop where I ordered my cloak?
That madam?!
C-Come to think of it, she asked me an awful lot about my family structure and my ideal image of a wife!
Huh?
Eeeeeeeek!
In the Demon Kingdom, do nobles directly run shops?!
N-No, even if she's the wife of the previous generation...
I am truly astonished by the cultural differences.
Beezel: "Mother, you really shouldn't interfere like this."
Bezel's Mother: "What are you talking about? At this rate, Yuri-chan will never find a husband."
Beezel: "Even so, having the king of a human kingdom as a candidate..."
Bezel's Mother: "His character is fine. His refinement can be polished with training. Bloodlines do not matter."
Beezel: "You should be more mindful of species... Their lifespans are different, after all."
Bezel's Mother: "There are countless ways to extend a lifespan. Just set up the meeting for now."
Beezel: "I-I'll do my best."
Demon King: "Opposed, opposed, opposed, opposed!"
Bezel's Mother: "Don't you want to see your grandchildren?"
Anne: "Grandchildren... that sounds nice..."
Demon King: "I-I don't want to think about that yet!"
Yuri: "I'm sorry, but I'm not thinking about marriage yet."
Bezel's Mother: "I understand. However, Frau has already given birth, you know."
Yuri: "I am not Frau. Hohoho."
Bezel's Mother: "Fufufu."
Beezel: "Wasn't that a bit forceful, even for you, Mother?"
Bezel's Mother: "Indeed. However, I must make her conscious of the matter."
Beezel: "Were you fine with it falling through this time?"
Bezel's Mother: "The goal was simply to make her aware."
Beezel: "...We will have to pay that king compensation for the trouble."
Bezel's Mother: "Surely you can afford that much, can't you? I leave it to you."
Beezel: "............"
Bezel's Mother: "We do not know how long the Demon King will remain the Demon King. When the next Demon King seeks Yuri-chan's hand to solidify their standing, we must ensure she can refuse. However, it would defeat the purpose if I forced an unwanted marriage upon her. It would be best for Yuri-chan to become conscious of it and seek out a partner herself, but..."
Yuri: "Time for port construction! (Piloting humanoid heavy machinery is so fun!)"
Bezel's Mother: "...This is hopeless."
Yame: "No rush, no rush."