After lightly complaining to Alice, Risty-san glanced at me and spoke.
[……Still, Chris-chan is getting a lot better lately though. Thanks to you.]
[Eh? Me?]
I tilted my head at Risty-san's words. It's true that Chris-san and I usually exchange letters regularly, but we don't see each other that often.
As for her letters, they were mostly about the Archlesia Empire and her pets, so I don't remember being useful in any way.[In the beginning, getting close to Kaito was for Chris-chan's various self-interest.]
[Yes, I won't deny that. I was trying to make things work out in a way that would be beneficial to the Archlesia Empire…… but regarding that matter, I discarded it all when I heard that Phantasmal King-sama is connected with Miyama-sama.]
[I think that was a really great decision. If you had continued with that plan, you would definitely find yourself tumbling on Shalltear-sama's palm. To challenge her with your level of strategies is beyond reckless. It's just plain suicide.]
Well, such strategies is completely within Alice's field, and she's so skilled at it that even Kuro and Shiro-san are no match for her.
As Risty-san said, challenging Alice in that field would be beyond reckless.
[That's why Chris-chan stopped trying to take advantage of Kaito in the middle of the story and started exchanging letters with you as a normal friend. For someone who had spent her days sharpening her sense in a world full of schemes, it must have been quite therapeutic for her, I suppose? Thanks to it, Chris-san seems to have become calmer and more open-minded than before.]
[……I also won't deny that. In fact, it's easier because I don't have to think about it. The policies I've been implementing since becoming Emperor have begun to bear fruit, and our finances have become laxer, but I'm aware that I'm more relaxed than before.]Looking back, I feel that my aversion for Chris-san has faded as we exchanged letters. At least, when we met at the Six Kings Festival, I think we had become friendly enough that I can proudly brag about my pets.
If you ask me, I didn't feel that Chris-san had any calculating intentions at that time, and felt that she was just a normal friend.
Now that I'm thinking about it, perhaps, the reason why I felt so averse with Chris-san was that I had unconsciously read her calculation emotions with my Sympathy Magic.
[Now all that's left is for her to experience love at least once so that I can be relieved as her mother. What do you think? I'm not saying that Kaito should definitely get it on with her, but I think you'd be a good match with Chris-chan. Especially now that she has become someone who couldn't move with self-interest in mind, I think she'd be able to enjoy genuine love.]
[You've been really pushing for my love live today, haven't you? However, putting aside if it was a calculated one, I'm afraid I have no intention of engaging in pure love. I'm an Emperor, and what I should cherish most is the Archlesia Empire…… That's why I made up my mind from the moment I ascended the throne. If I "consider something more important than my country", I would resign from the throne…… and that's why I'm not going to get into a relationship where such a thing might happen.]
They were words of determination and conviction. Chris-san's eyes were serious, filled with her will to carry the responsibility of being Archlesia's ruler.
However, hearing Chris-san's world filled with her vigor, Risty-san looked sort of taken aback.
[You sure are hardheaded~~ Hey, Chris-chan…… "Your favorite food " or "your favorite clothes", which one is more important to you?]
[……Mother? What in the world are you saying…… Why are you comparing food and clothing?]
[Yes, "that's exactly what I'm talking about".]
[ ! ? ]
Hearing Risty-san's calm words, as if she could see through Chris-san's inner thoughts, Chris-san seemed like she was unable to refute, frozen in place with a shocked expression on her face.
[I ask that question back to you. Why are you comparing a country and a person? Moreover, do you really need to only have one favorite? Is it not possible for "a tie for first place"?]
[……That is……]
[If you can't give me an immediate answer, it means you still have a lot of room to think. I'm not going to say your ideology is wrong, nor am I going to have a petty debate here about what an Emperor should be.]
After saying that, Risty-san took a sip of her tea, and looking straight into Chris-san's eyes, she spoke.
[If you ask me though, it's ridiculous to see a child who only lived for a few decades looking like you're so enlightened. Properly think about it. That one path you're hellbent on…… was it really the only path existing?]
[……Mother.]
They weren't words that gave her a clear answer, but instead, words that give her a challenge, forcing the person to search for the answer themselves.
However, there was no harshness in them, seemingly filled with the kindness of a mother. In fact, the words seemed to have touched Chris-san, as even though she was bewildered, she seemed to be pondering about it.
Hearing the words Risty-san said, I thought that a change might occur to Chris-san's future.
At the same time, I had a vague, unfounded premonition…… that it might be a good change for Chris-san.
<Afterword>
The release date and cover of Volume 12 have been posted in the Activity Report.
