Kousuke encountered Towa in the management layer, looking conflicted.
“Towa? What’s wrong?”
Kousuke was surprised by Towa’s unusual expression and asked.
Towa, who Kousuke believed had inherited a strong bloodline from Floria, was growing smoothly as the next king. Floria had even boasted that she could step down anytime.
Given this, it was understandable that Kousuke was surprised by Towa’s troubled, desperate, yet somehow embarrassed expression.
“Father, I have a favor to ask. Is it alright?”
Towa said this with apparent difficulty, which made Kousuke’s eyes widen further. It was so unusual that it felt like the first time Towa had ever said something like this to him.
“……What is it?”
Suppressing his inner turmoil, Kousuke adopted a serious expression. Seeing Kousuke’s face, Towa seemed to swallow his words before finally speaking.
“……May I bring Daniela here?”
The moment Towa said this, Kousuke’s mind went blank, unable to process what he had heard.
“……What?”
Taken aback by the contrast between Towa’s demeanor and his request, Kousuke’s expression was one of utter disbelief.
Seeing Kousuke’s reaction, Towa looked even more hesitant than before.
“Uh, so, I want to bring Daniela here…”
Looking at Towa again, Kousuke sensed something was amiss and decided to hear him out.
Listening to Towa’s embarrassed explanation, Kousuke couldn’t help but feel sympathetic. It was indeed a topic that would be difficult to discuss with one’s father. It was clear Towa was desperate.
Towa’s request was essentially that he wanted time to go on a date with Daniela. It had been better when they were at the academy. They had companions who would cooperate, and most importantly, they had had enough time. However, after graduating from the academy, they couldn’t find time for each other, and even when they managed to, some kind of interference would occur. Of course, the interference wasn’t overt. The Queen, Floria, had already acknowledged Daniela. Trying to create discord between them would displease the Queen. Therefore, they resorted to subtle methods, like scheduling conflicting appointments. Even Floria was exasperated by such an indirect approach, but it was too perfectly executed to stop. As a result, Towa had come to his father, Kousuke, for advice.
“I see. Towa has gotten himself into some strange trouble again,” Shurein, who had been listening alongside Kousuke, nodded with a subtle expression.
“It’s… I mean, it’s ridiculous, but is such a thing really happening?”
“What are you talking about? In Towa’s case, it’s even better because it’s not direct?”
“Is that so?”
Kousuke tilted his head at Shurein’s words.
“There’s clearly a difference in status between Towa and Miss Daniela. Perhaps it’s better than in other continents where there are no noble titles?”
When Shurein looked at Towa, Towa nodded slightly and sighed.
“Yes. We both understand that, but if possible, well…”
“You want to make time to be together,” Kousuke finished Towa’s thought, and Towa nodded. Kousuke, who understood the desire to be together, wanted to help Towa achieve his wishes. However, Kousuke crossed his arms and frowned.
“Um… is it difficult?”
Seeing Towa’s slightly resigned expression, Kousuke hastily shook his head.
“No, no, it’s not that. Bringing her to the management layer itself isn’t a problem.”
“?”
Towa tilted his head at Kousuke’s ambiguous wording.
“Well. In the current state of the management layer, it’s impossible for the two of you to be alone, isn’t it?”
“Father. For someone of my status, it’s almost impossible to be alone with my partner before marriage.”
As the Crown Prince, he would most likely have guards, and to prevent any mistakes, supervisors would always be present. Nevertheless, it would be far better than the current situation where they could barely meet. Moreover, the people who frequented the management layer would likely understand the situation from Towa’s current conversation. Seeing through Towa’s thoughts, Kousuke sighed. He found the situation to be somewhat stifling, even though he understood it was unavoidable.
“Well, if that’s how you feel, Towa, then it’s fine. There’s no problem with bringing her to the management layer.”
“Thank you!”
As Kousuke granted permission, Towa’s face lit up with joy, likely due to the pent-up frustration he had accumulated.
Watching Towa leave the management layer with a happy expression, Kousuke sighed.
“Hmm. I wish I could do something, though.”
Seeing Kousuke’s words, Shurein tilted his head.
“Why don’t you?”
“I wish I could, but it’s probably better not to.”
“Why?”
Shurein tilted his head at Kousuke’s firm assertion.
“When parents get involved in these kinds of things, it usually doesn’t end well.”
“Hmm. That’s wise counsel.”
Shurein nodded emphatically in agreement with Kousuke’s words.
♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦
Seeing Daniela, who was still stiff with nervousness in front of him, Kousuke decided to retreat further inside. There was no point in making her more nervous by saying unnecessary things. Colette and Peach, who had come to check on her, also understood this and followed Kousuke out. Kousuke felt like he was being shunned by his wife while relaxing on his day off. However, this time, it was solely to fulfill Towa’s wish. He was willing to bear such a negative reputation. Moved from the lounge space to his private room as if being driven away, Kousuke crossed his arms and grumbled.
“What’s wrong?”
Mitsuki, who had followed him, asked seeing Kousuke’s demeanor.
“It’s… I guess, frustrating, or pitiful…”
These were Kousuke’s thoughts after observing the two today. It wasn’t that there was any rift between them. In fact, precisely because they seemed unchanged from before, their current situation felt pitiful.
“I understand what you mean, but as you yourself said before, Kousuke-sama, meddling might not lead to good results?”
“That’s right. That’s probably why Floria is hesitant to intervene.”
Before Daniela came to the management layer today, Kousuke had also spoken with Floria, and she seemed to feel the same way as him. However, because of their positions as an Avatar and a Queen, respectively, they couldn’t interfere unnecessarily. Kousuke seriously considered issuing an oracle, but he suppressed it, considering it a last resort. He was too biased, and the consequences were unpredictable. Kousuke’s intuition told him it wouldn’t happen. In the end, all he could do was watch, but he felt that this was perhaps the same for any family. Poor Towa > < He can't even get a proper date. ... If worst comes to worst, there's always marriage, and Towa is aware of that.
