Insects, Lumberjacks, and Pirates [Part 5]
“That’s not possible though?! I heard that the Kingdom gives a huge sum of money to Duke Lance every year as a subsidy for breeding the insects. It is so that the sick people can get the medicine for free.”
The Prince stood up indignantly before Joshua could finish his sentence.
“Your Highness, I think you should not only ask Robert-sama, but also Duke Lance for an explanation in this matter, no?”
George forced his brain to keep up with the complex conversation. The tailless whip scorpions are bred until they are large enough in quantity for Emma to have fun while trying out many battle formations.
House Lance has been stingy despite having the insects in stock. If the Duke has been deliberately raising the price of the insects that, in this whole Kingdom, are only bred in House Lance, then report to the Royal Family that there are 0 patients… Eh? Isn’t this a pretty serious case of fraud? Realizing the severity of the incident, George advised the Prince to get to the bottom of it.
“You are right. I will have to investigate this deeply. I also have to report it to the King…”
The Prince nodded at George’s words and reluctantly told Emma that he had ought to return to the royal castle with haste.
When the Prince hurriedly ordered a servant of House Stuart to call Arthur and the knights, who were in a different room, Emma softly grabbed onto his sleeve and said, “Your Highness, I know that you are busy, but please rest when it’s time to rest, okay?”
Emma thought, ‘The Prince entered the drawing room with a pale face and had a boiling red face after sleeping on my lap. He must be pretty sick. To work that hard even though he is still of schooling age if we go off based on our previous world… How pitiful.’
“—!!! …Emma is, really, so kind…”
The Prince’s face that had cooled off somewhat turned bright red again. He left the Stuart family’s mansion with hurried steps, as if wanting to cover his blushing face.
♠♠♠
“Too sly!!! Emma, you… where did you pick up those moves? What’s up with the way you grabbed his sleeve earlier?!!!” George was holding his head in frustration as usual after the Prince had left.
“Nee-sama, have you done something again?” William, who sat down next to George, directed a cold stare at his older sister.
Completely ignoring the mutters of her older and younger brother, Emma was lost in her own thoughts.
“Uhhhhhh…”
It seemed like she was stuck with some problem.
“Um, Emma-sama? Please do not ever give His Highness a lap pillow from now on, okay?”
Joshua suddenly made a request to the preoccupied Emma who was sitting beside him.
“Eh? Joshua? Could you repeat that again? Sorry, I was thinking about something just now…”
“Emma-sama, please stop giving His Highness lap pillows.”
“Huh?”
It was pretty rare to hear Joshua discouraging Emma from doing something.
Well, it’s true that on the off chance that I am seen by other people, I can be charged with lese-majesty for letting a prince of this kingdom sleep on my lap. Emma considered what Joshua had just said seriously.
“I understand, Joshua. I will not give His Highness lap pillows.”
“…Actually, I would appreciate it if you could also refrain from doing so for other men.”
Realizing that Emma might not have really gotten it even though she had said she “understood”, Joshua emphasized it once again.
“Eh? …Um yeah, you’re right. I’m not good at remembering my social status, so doing so can be disrespectful and offensive without me realizing.”
“Exactly. There are royals and high-ranking nobles everywhere, in both the academy and the royal capital, after all. The only way to avoid such mistakes is to not give anyone a lap pillow!”
