Chapter 162 – Neighboring Kingdom's Idiot Prince's Proposal

I am Meils Debias, second prince of the Henzetta Kingdom. Right now, I’m walking down the corridor, guards and aides in tow, on my way to the castle conference room.

“Hey, Brid. What about the nighttime corridor?”

“The corridor? The guards on patrol would have to tiptoe around.”

This guy is my closest aide, Brid. Childhood friend, best buddy—he’s practically been raised alongside me since we were kids. According to him, “The prince is my greatest masterpiece,” which just goes to show he’s not cut out for education.

“Then how about suspending patrols just for that night?”

“…Are you serious?”

Brid pulled such a disgusted face that I gave up on the nighttime corridor idea.

Actually, I’m on the hunt for the perfect spot to propose. My target is Suzy, the maid I met during the saintess rescue. She’s got a baby face and is adorable, but her heart is strong, she’s smart, cunning, and sharp-tongued. No, I don’t have a fetish for that. As the self-proclaimed idiot prince acknowledged by one and all, I need someone wise who can give me straight advice.

“Wh-what about the rooftop at night?”

“You mocking the wind up on a nighttime high perch?”

Brid has no sense of romance.

—At lunch with the guards and aides—

“Hey, Brid. How about a giant cake in Suzy’s room…”

“Rejected.”

Brid scooped up some post-meal pudding with his spoon and popped it in his mouth.

“I didn’t even finish.”

“The chefs who’d have to bake that monster and the servants who’d have to haul it would be the pitiful ones.”

Hmm. Yeah, a giant cake would be a nightmare to transport. Blind spot on my part. And eating it before it spoils would be tough too…

“What if it’s small?”

“Small is fine? …Don’t make that ‘Ah!’ face.”

“Just realized it’d end up as a regular gift.”

Wonder where in the world couples propose.

—In the king’s office, with the king—

“A proposal?”

“Yes, Father. Where did you propose to Mother?”

Father looked up from his desk.

“It was a political marriage, so there was no proposal or… Don’t make that ‘Ah!’ face.”

Right. Father’s was a political marriage. To shore up our financially strapped kingdom, he brought Mother over from across the sea, and now we export magic gems.

“Wrong person to ask.”

“Is that the issue here?”

Father glanced around at Brid and the aides, and Brid shook his head in exasperation.

“Your Majesty, please talk some sense into him. He’s been like this nonstop lately…”

“Lately? He’s been this idiotic the whole time?”

The guards chuckled awkwardly, shrugging their shoulders.

—In the nighttime greenhouse—

Why! I’m an idiot, so I’m asking everyone around to avoid screwing up! Brid could cooperate a little more!

I plopped down on the bench in the center of the greenhouse. I come here sometimes to gaze at the flowers. Leaning back against the backrest and looking up at the ceiling, I could see a huge moon and countless stars shining through the glass. Their light gently illuminated the quietly standing flowers. In the silence, the fountain whispered with the sound of water. The sweet floral scent soothed my heart.

“Come to think of it, I wonder if Lily’s doing okay. Heard she got locked up.”

She loved this greenhouse. Probably reminded her of Silverique with all its greenery.

“The confinement tower at church headquarters, right? It has a sunlit exercise yard, and the saintess has been visiting.”

One of the aides spoke up.

“I see…”

My older brother, the first prince, was the mastermind behind the saintess kidnapping and got thrown in the castle’s underground dungeon. No visitors allowed—a harsh punishment that strips away his right to live as a human. Damp, no sunlight… he probably won’t last long.

“Glad Lily didn’t end up in the same boat as Brother.”

“Would His Highness have been fine with anyone as a saintess substitute?”

Yeah, that’s right. I figured with that face, the inside didn’t matter. Looking back, that was pretty idiotic… Well, I’m the idiot prince, so what can I do.

“Nah, I never would’ve fallen for Lily. And things with the saintess never went beyond friends.”

Before I knew it, Brid and the guards had left the greenhouse, leaving me alone with the aide—her.

“Hey, Suzy. What do you think of proposing here?”

The next instant, a shock sent me sprawling to the greenhouse floor. Suzy had decked me with a solid punch.

Eh? Why?

“Sounds good to me.”

Suzy, now promoted from maid to aide, beamed a smile and offered her hand.

“M-Marry me.”

“Yes.”

I took Suzy’s hand and got back up.

“W-Wait? Yes? You said yes?”

“Yep. Leave the rest to you.”

“Eh? The rest? No, let’s just rejoice for now! Yes! We did it!”

I hugged Suzy for the first time. She was so slender and delicate. It was the moment something inside me changed.

—Silverique Kingdom Church Headquarters, with Marie, Heart, and Ted—

“And that’s why we figured out why Meils got punched.”

“Can’t be helped.”

“Idiot prince, just like the rumors.”

Haha, Ted’s as foul-mouthed as ever.

Suzy, now an aide, had been constantly consulting everyone about proposals to her. No wonder the king and guards were baffled.

Thank you for reading.

The main story is complete, but I have a few extra short stories left over from the book version in stock.

I’d be thrilled if you checked them out.

Details in the activity report.

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