Frederick and Charlotte both possessed an immense amount of magic. This reduced the strain on their bodies, so they were both quite strong and resilience.

Charlotte’s fatigue didn’t show on her face due to her magic.

Her natural aptitude allowed her, over time, to at least feign the ideal everyone expected. That’s why the difference between her and the king went unnoticed. Is it fortunate or unfortunate that her abundant magic made her stronger than most people…?

When Ethelbert first met Charlotte, he didn’t realize that her magical power was out of the ordinary. After all, Charlotte had been unconsciously depleting her magic to heal the fatigue caused by her taxing schedule.

“Hmm. If your fiancée isn’t a magician but talented in other ways, that’d be ideal for me. And if you love her, even better. But if she’s that talented, don’t you think you could marry her off to the Anti-Royalty faction as a pawn to win them over?” Percival smiled provocatively.

Ethelbert narrowed his eyes sharply, not hiding his displeasure. He exuded a chilling magical power, plummeting the temperature in the room.

“I’m just kidding. Don’t glare at your brother like that.”

Percival slowly swirled his wineglass.

“I find it amusing how serious you take everything. I for one am looking forward to seeing my nephew or niece, and it seems like it won’t be long until I do. While making fun of you is one of my reasons for living, I do sincerely wish for your happiness. I’ve only met your future wife a few times. I can’t wait to face her as her brother-in-law. My wife is also eagerly waiting to meet her.”

After furrowing his brow at his grinning brother, Ethelbert gave a good-natured smile.

“I’ll be living in the duke’s mansion starting tomorrow, so keep that in mind.”

Percival, who had been happily swirling his glass, suddenly stopped.

“Huh? Wait, I haven’t heard anything about that.”

“Well, you did, just now.”

“So, everyone else knew?”

“I told them to keep quiet. If I hadn’t, you’d have harassed me by giving me more work.”

Since teasing Ethelbert was one of Percival’s passions, it was better to take precaution in advance.

“My fiancée must be feeling lonely living in a foreign country, so it’s only natural that I’d make time to be close to her.”

“There’s no need to live at the duke’s mansion and be with her all the time!”

“I’d like her to meet my brother as soon as possible, then take some time for myself and relax.”

“I do agree with the first half, but some time for yourself—?!”

“Hence why I brought her to the imperial palace instead of the duke’s mansion. So, tomorrow, when she’s ready, she’ll come and greet you.”

“Wait a minute?!”

Ignoring the warning, Ethelbert stood up.

“Also, since she no longer has any ties to the royal family of Lymore, calling her ‘Princess Charlotte’ is inappropriate.”

Ethelbert spoke sternly, seemingly quite angry with the kingdom.

“Indeed. Since she’s going to be a duke’s daughter, should we call her Duchess Charlotte?”

“No, she’s changing her name.”

“Huh? That would make her more difficult to trace, but what’s the new name?”

“I’m thinking about it.”

“…Are you going to give her a name?”

“Yes. Actually, I’ve been thinking about it for a while now, anticipating her bringing it up, but it’s not easy to decide on one.”

“You…?”

“I’ve realized how difficult naming is. I now understand why you and my sister-in-law had so much trouble deciding on a name for your child during her pregnancy.”

“You—?!”

“Well, I’ve finished everything I need to report, so I’ll be off now.”

“Like I said, wait?!”

Despite the emperor’s pleas to stop, Ethelbert disappeared as he teleported away.

***

“Welcome back, Lord Ethelbert.”

“…I-I’m home.”

When he returned to his room, Charlotte, who’d just taken a shower, sat on the sofa. She had a shawl draped over her shoulders, and was wearing a nightgown that accentuated her chest.

Ethelbert pushed his evil thoughts to the back of his mind and tried to speak to her gently.

“Was there anything unsatisfactory?”

“No such thing. As expected of the imperial maids. My hair is now smooth and my skin moisturized.”

“I see, that’s a relief.”

Her hair, which had been a bit uneven in length since it was cut, was neatly trimmed. The quality of her hair, which had been damaged during her time incarcerated, had regained its luster through careful care.

He walked over to Charlotte, rested his forearms on the back of the sofa, and touched her hair.

“Uhm…”

Charlotte looked up at him.

“I heard that in the Ferelden Empire, it’s not uncommon for couples to spend a night together even before marriage.”

Coming from her mouth, the words “spend a night together” held destructive power.

“…That’s right. For magicians sensitive to magical power, compatibility is crucial. If it’s poor, even a handshake can be unpleasant, leading to illness or difficulty conceiving. In the worst cases, just sharing a room can be unbearable. That’s why… premarital sex is the most reliable way to test magical compatibility.”

“If that’s the case, then we should try it out before officially getting engaged?”

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