TN: Hello, there, the site was down for a bit more than a week, my hosting plan was running out, so I had to find a new deal, and migrate everything over, sorry for any inconvenience but we are up and running again, yay. Anyways enjoy the chapter.
This summer has been hot, and everyone is languishing. My father, the king, and my mother have started their preparations for a summer retreat. At that time, a letter from Jack arrived. The fourth territory from the capital to the north, George Wile’s Viscounty. That place is where Jackshreet Wiles lives.
He’s a self-important guy who is the same age as me.
The two of us became friends, after all. The contents of the letter were written in a pretentious and very noble-like manner, and it said ‘This year’s summer sure is hot! Come to my residence for a summer break. I’m expecting you!’.
Since the vassal conference, I have met Jack several times at parties, and we have become quite casual with each other. Of course, Miss Silvia was with us.
On the same letter there was also a note ‘Lady Serea has to join us as well - Silvia.’ The two of them are very close, apparently.
After getting permission from my mother and father, Serea and I went out on our own.
They gave me permission surprisingly easily.Well, Shreegan and Miss Bell -i(will)i- be accompanying us.
Since the guards following the royal couple from the palace to the summer resort are split into groups, we ended up mixing with the stagecoach team while pretending to be commoners.
The stagecoach has room for four people. Shreegan is the coachman, while Miss Bell, Serea, and I are the passengers The plan is to arrive in three days.
As we rarely leave the royal capital, I enjoy the scenery and the route that we can see from the window. The merchants and travellers, along with the adventurers who escort them, are also interesting. Of course, while we were departing, the king gave me the order to ‘Broaden my horizons’, but well, it is summer vacation after all.
At night, we didn’t stay at an inn but camped outside.
Serea and I slept in the same tent, in separate sleeping bags.
It has been a long time since we slept together. Maybe since the night of the lightning storm. Or maybe we slept on the floor a few times when we were making materials for the hospital.
Serea's sleeping face wrapped in a sleeping bag is so cute.
“You did well in coming! It’s been a while!”
We high fived Jack and Silvia who were there to greet us.
“I’m veeery tired. The trip was so long.”
“My bad. This might be a place with nothing special, but it is cooler than the capital, and the food is super tasty. I can guarantee that!”
“I’m counting on you.”
Next to us, Serea and Miss Silvia were hugging each other, happy for their first meeting in quite a while.
The maids and butlers, who had lined up to greet us, were surprised. They were in a panic because they didn't expect the crown prince of the country to have such a casual friendship with a baron’s son of such a countryside estate.
“We are truly grateful to you for taking the trouble to visit such a rural estate.”
Saying so, the Viscount couple bow their heads.
“We apologise for any inconvenience we may cause you.”
With that, Serea and I greet them in the proper manner.
After that, our attendants (Shreegan and Miss Bell) were given a private room, and we were shown to our room.
-i(Our)i- room?
Not separate rooms?
......We were shown to a guest room with two huge beds side by side.
Well, this is awkward.
“Now, isn’t this a nice room?”
Shreegan and Miss Bell, who were carrying several trunks, were placing our luggage in the room without hesitation.
“The lady is going to change. Gentlemen, please leave the room.”
Miss Bell kicked us out of the room.
Jack calls out to Shreegan and I as we stand in the hallway.
“Shin, let's play cards!”
“Say…… Why are the two of us in the same room?”
“What’s the problem with that?Afterall, you are already engaged. Guests always stay in that room when they come here.” -tn1“Listen here…… we can talk about that later. More importantly, we just got here. Give me something to drink.”
“You’ve got a point. My bad. Let'sgo to the drawing room.”
“Well, can we do it in this room?”
“That can work too. I’ll go bring Silvia.”
I have a feeling that being alone with Serea in the bedroom might get awkward…...
The door of the room opens, and Miss Bell comes out.
“You can come back in now.”
When I entered, Serea was dressed in a refreshing sleeveless dress.
The windows and curtains were open, and a breeze was blowing in. It really is cooler here in the north.
A maid brings me a drink. There is ice in the juice!
“Ice! How did you manage to prepare it in the middle of summer?”
“They cut out ice from the lake in the winter and store it in the cellar.”
“What a luxury……”
“Aren’t you glad you came?”
The drink is cold and tasty. It is indeed a northern territory. It is different from the sweltering heat of the royal capital. I definitely am glad I came.
We had some time before dinner so, now that Silvia joined us, the four of us sat on the carpet and played cards on top of a cushion.
“This is so fun!”
Jack was delighted. Once the rules have been explained, we start in earnest.
I’m seriously going to go for the win.
“Tisk, you are really good at this Shin……”
“Jack, you know, you always go for the big hands, so you don’t last on. In this kind of situation, it's better to play the cards you can play steadily and only go for safe plays.”
“You’ve got a really boring way of playing.”
Silvia is glaring at Jack, isn't she?
“If the future king is always trying to turn things around by luck, like Jack is doing, the people will be worried. Steadfastness is also a quality of a king. You should taste a little of the sadness of the poor, Jack-sama!”
“There it is, Silvia’s goody two shoes remark.”
Jack teases Silvia. I’m glad to see the two of them getting along so well. I'm sure they'll be fine even if the heroine shows up.
“Revolution!”
“Aaaaaaaaaaa!”
...Serea, isn't that going too far? What are you going to do after pushing me down to poverty like that?
That night, we were thrown a dinner party. It's not a nightly occurrence, it’s a one-time thing thrown to welcome us. ‘We hope you will spend the rest of the evening at your leisure as if it were your own home.’After being told that, we thanked them warmly for their hospitality.
After taking a bath in the bathroom, I fell fast asleep.
As expected, I was exhausted.
The next day, he brought us to the lake.
“It is our territory's pride and joy, and I think its water is the cleanest in the country!”
The water is indeed clean and has no unpleasant smell, and it looks as if it could be drunk straight from the lake. This is so nice!
Serea and Silvia came to the two of us, who were wearing our swimming trunks, now changed into their swimsuits.
Silvia wore a two-piece swimsuit with fluffy frills, while Serea had chosen a black one-piece.
“……”
After a brief silence, Jack raised his thumb and grinned.
"I win."
That guy... Doesn't he realise that Serea is still growing? Silvia, despite being only thirteen, already looks so mature.
Since both my mother and sister are big, I end up wondering. Is being big really that great?
The way I see it, the current Serea is definitely stunning.
“Come on! Welcome to Shreegan Boot Camp, kids! We're going to train you thoroughly starting today, so brace yourselves!”
Shreegan made his entrance, his tight pants emphasising a prominent bulge!
No, no, no! What is Shreegan up to now?
“Since there are no suitable places for swimming around the capital, both Your Highness and Young Master, we'll be focusing on teaching you how to swim.”
“Really……”
“Your Highness, can you swim?”
“I’ve never tried……”
“Young Master, what about you?”
“I’m so-so.”
Shreegan nodded approvingly in response to Jack's answer.
“Humans, unlike animals, can't swim instinctively. Humans need to learn how to swim in order to be able to do so. As nobles, both of you will learn how to swim.”
“Is that really necessary!?”
“Yes, it is necessary. What would you do in a war with a river behind you and a huge army in front of you?”
“Well, we will stay and fight.”
“What a stupid idea!”
“Why don't we just get a boat?”
“Too slow!”
Shreegan is waving his finger.
“On the battlefield, the most important thing is to survive. Crossing the river by swimming is the correct approach. Being pushed into such a desperate situation is already a losing battle, you know? Are you okay with that? In war, if there's no certainty of winning, it's better not to engage. Falling into a situation where you're cornered like that, means the strategy is flawed. There's no need to sacrifice your life for a foolish plan made by incompetent superiors. If you survive, there will be another opportunity. It's better to regroup and come up with a winning strategy to challenge again. Dying in a losing battle is completely meaningless. Please remember that.”
“You really are something, are you really qualified to be an imperial Guard?”
“Your Highness, as a noble of the royal family, your priority should be to prevent conflicts with other nations and strive for peaceful diplomatic solutions whenever possible. If, despite all efforts, war becomes unavoidable, then it is our duty to lay down our lives. Your sole focus should be on survival. Do you understand?”
I'm deeply humbled. Shreegan, you truly have that level of determination.
Both Jack and I stand up again, and we respond, "Yes, sir!"
"Alright, let's start with treading water. I want both of you to master this skill."
"Ugh... "
"We'll do it while wearing light armour, alright?"
"Understood, understood..."
"Um, what should we do...?"
Serea and Silvia timidly ask.
"Just enjoy yourselves, girls. I’ll leave you to Miss Bell"Bell arrived.
She was wearing a black two-piece swimsuit that elegantly covered her supple body. She had a pareo wrapped around her waist, and there was a subtle sensuality emanating from the gorgeously shaped legs, slender waist, and the alluring cleavage between her beautifully contoured breasts...
Her overwhelming maturity... It made us realise how immature we were, how this is what a "woman" truly is. She exuded such sensuality that I felt like kneeling down and apologising for simply witnessing it.
"...We've lost."
Hey, Jack, Serea, Silvia, we're all just thirteen years old. We shouldn't compare ourselves to adult women. We have no right to make such comparisons. Let's be aware of our place...
However, I can't help but be curious about the belt wrapped around Bell's soft-looking thigh, hanging from her garter, with a throwing knife attached to it...
"...Miss Bell, do you always carry that throwing knife with you?"
"Of course."
"...Who exactly are you, Miss Bell?"
"I am a maid in service to Lady Serea of the Colette family."
It seems like I shouldn't ask any further.
For a moment, Shreegan was left dumbfounded.
Hey, could you do something about the bulge in your tight pants!
"Now, let's leave those muscle-headed idiots alone and enjoy our water play elegantly."
The girls are giggling and frolicking in the water. Meanwhile, the three of us guys were forced to practise standing and sidestroke swimming techniques...
Did we come here for this?
Jack and I submerged ourselves in the water and started complaining.
"Do you always do this kind of stuff?"
"...Since I was ten years old."
"Being a prince is tough, huh..."
In the room we were given, the two of us had dinner together.
"But it's nice to see the two of them getting along."
"Yes!"
"I wonder if it's because Serea gave advice to Silvia. What kind of advice did you give?"
"...It's a secret, you know?"
"Okay."
Serea blushed a little and said shyly.
"It's better to forget about social status and just enjoy each other's company."
"Ah, because he’s a viscount and she's a baroness."
Jack is the son of a viscount, while Silvia is the daughter of a baron. Jack has a higher social status.
In the game strategy, Jack is portrayed as the proud, self-centered type. He easily falls for the heroine, who doesn't care about social status and pays attention to him. As a result, Silvia, who is cautious and conscious of their difference in status, becomes less interesting, and their relationship deteriorates rapidly.
"Jack accepts Silvia for who she is, without expecting her to put on a facade."
"Yeah, that's right. Even when we first met, he thought we were commoners, but he still became our friend."
The two of us laugh together.
"What did Shin-sama say to Jack?"
Hmm, what was it?
"I said that whether it's a political marriage or a love marriage doesn't really matter. What's important is what happens after you meet. I told him to cherish Silvia and let himself fall in love with her."
Serea's face turns bright red, and she presses her palm against her cheek.
"...... That makes me happy too."
I blush too. I was using us as an example after all.
Before going to sleep, I kneel beside Serea's bed.
"Can I give you a goodnight kiss?"
Leaning in slightly, I went for it.
-tnF1 I mean if you have one guest sure, but I’d imagine nobles sometimes have more than one single guest…
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