2
「Mikhail is worse than what you think.」
The next day, the First Prince called me and explained to me about my fiancé who I would meet afterward.
According to the rumors, he was cursed to have a body made out of mud by a witch.
…I don't really get it.
Even if he said "worse than what I think," I can't imagine it from the start so I can't fathom it at all.
In the first place, do witches actually exist?
「I'm sure you've heard of words like Mud Prince, but in truth, now it looks like he's barely maintaining a human shape in mud.」
Unfortunately what I heard wasn't Mud Prince but Mud Monster. Of course, I have no intention of correcting him.
「If you touch him it's no different than the sensation of skin, but his appearance is muddy and it looks as if he'll melt any moment. Meaning, he hasn't really become mud, he's just been cursed to look like mud.」
「Haa…」
It's like I understand, I don't understand, I don't understand.
「But why did that happen?」
「……That is,」
The three brothers attended a ceremony in the neighboring kingdom.
In the first carriage was Jean-sama and Mikhail, and Vissel-sama rode in the second.
And in the first carriage they both rode, a lone crow invaded.
When the crow rushed at Jean-sama as if he was its target, Mikhail shielded him in an instant, some sort of liquid flying out from the crow's mouth.
And before one's eyes he became covered in mud, the crow leaving only a letter and swiftly departing.
"This is the buried resentment of my beloved. Die in agony while being unloved by anyone."
Following the laughter attached to the letter and using unique arts as a lead, Jean-sama and my Father gave their all to investigate.
Then Jean-sama found the lover of a rapist he caught previously, a woman called a witch.
「That woman went crazy and died last year. It was like I killed her, but I don't feel bad at all. But in the end, we couldn't find a way to heal him.」
「Then that person kept quiet until the end?」
「No, after we showed her the proof of her lover's crimes, she relatively honestly opened her mouth. But she was unable to cure him herself. It was a curse to be unloved, so if there was a girl who would love him in that appearance, or… Is what she said.」
「Then!」
It was better for him to meet and attempt with many girls.
「But that's not definite! Plus, there's no way they can love him in that appearance.」
To say that much… I'm a little scared to meet him.
「He'll likely refuse the marriage with you. Now he doesn't even have a maid and is living in his room, secluding himself alone.」
Certainly, when I was worried and came to visit him in the past, I was turned away. It wasn't because of his physical condition, but of his own will.
Somehow, in a different meaning from Vissel-sama, I've stumbled across another thorny path.
But inside of me, I was also looking forward to meeting him.
No matter what appearance, I was happy to meet him again all the same.
I wonder if we can return to like how we were before.
Even though he was a prince he said「Call me Mikhail!」self-importantly, or was it out of friendliness, it was hard to understand him, by nature he was never honest.
That's why I didn't think of opening his heart in this situation from the start. But if that domineering guy changed then that'll be a little lonely.
「The Prime Minister was likely convinced because he knew about these events and sympathized with my brother. Originally we thought of pairing you two, and it's likely that's what the Prime Minister also wished for. But thinking for the sake of this country, I would become the King, Vissel would support me by my side, Mikhail would be sent as groom to another country… It was necessary to think of tactics to some extent.」
…I didn't know that.
When I heard my fiancé would be Vissel-sama, I thought, aahh, so it's like that, convincing myself while feeling a little lonely.
But, now I understood.
The neighboring country is big. To recieve their Princess, there was only Jean-sama who was our next King.
And marrying into the influential nobles internally, to keep the country working in case anything happened to Jean-sama, was Vissel-sama.
The other neighboring kingdom already had a prince, and the King who doted on the Princess was searching for a groom. The one whose name was raised to that, was the still cursed Mikhail.
…Of course that fiancée canceled using that as the reason.
「If you think it's really impossible, it's fine to leave immediately. But if you have some strange expectations, I wish you'd stop.」
「I understand.」
Though nodding, I didn't intend to return home easily.
We can finally meet, and besides, we're getting married.
No matter if I left, a wife is a wife.
If possible, I want to live happily.
「He's behind this door.」
……I was wondering where he was taking me.
In the royal garden, a corner of a corner of a corner. Enclosed by many trees, a sturdy cabin・・・was there. I didn't know, and probably no one knew of it either.
It seems he was living inconspicuously and secretly in such a place.
「I'm coming in.」
Opening the door with a key, Jean-sama called out.
Saa, a moment of nervousness……
Opening the door, we entered.
In the room with only a bed and a small table, a brown cluster was there.
「Ah? ……An-Angel?」
Oh, it talked.
No, more importantly……
「KYAAAAAAHHHHーーーー!!」
「っ！Angel, we're leaving!」
To my scream, Jean-sama grabbed my arm in a panic and tried to lead me out of the room.
I shook off that hand and snappily pointed at that brown clump.
「Even if you look like that, at least put on some clothes!!」
……The two froze.
Perhaps, he couldn't move much because of his condition.
No, if so then how did he live here alone…
「Rather than mud, isn't he more sandy?」
「No… Eh? Strange… Or not. In the first place, you can tell whether he's wearing clothes or not?」
「Eh, because……」
Certainly, I thought he was a cluster of mud at first. But now……
Probably, my face was becoming more and more red.
Plus without heeding a person's advice at all, he stood imposingly while stark naked.
I thought he'd be a more formless mass of mud.
But that was more like a sand sculpture was moving about.
I couldn't tell the fine movements of his expressions or his hair, but I could tell the shape of his body at least.
「At least, wrap a towel around you」
The symbol of a man that would enter my eyes whether I liked it or not, though I couldn't tell clearly, it was properly dangling from him. As I averted my eyes in a fluster, though he was bewildered he moved. 1
「It's fine now.」
After hearing the rustle of clothes, Jean-sama spoke towards me.
「Angel…」
Wrapped in a blanket, the vaguely nostalgic face looked this way.
「Long time no see!」
「Why… are you here…」
To his perplexed voice, Jean-sama answered.
「She's your fiancée.」
「…………………………………………Hah?」
It seems he wasn't able to understand Jean-sama's clear and simple words after thinking about it amply.
His expression was one that couldn't comprehend, he was probably dumbfounded.
「Vissel got a Count's daughter pregnant. Angel's engagement was broken. The next fiancé is you.」
「……」
「I’ll be in your care!」
「……」
There's no reaction.
「Mikhail?」
I thought he'd be angry but he's standing still…… Because he's sand? As I thought, is it because he can't move smoothly?
「Don’t…screw with me!!!!」
Like I thought he got angryーーー!!
「Though he had a fiancée he got another girl pregnant!? And I'm the replacement!? Stop with the bullshit! She's the victim you know!?」
Ah, he got angry in a direction I didn't imagine.
I was sure he'd get angry that I was pushed onto him, but on the contrary, it seems he's worried about me. Maybe in these 4 years, he's matured to a staggering extent.
「That's why as royalty, to take responsibility, you were chosen. 」
「Responsibility, you've pushed her onto me right!? How much of a fool do you take her for!」
「She also acknowledged.」
「That's because!」
Probably, our eyes met.
「She's an idiot…」
An idiot.
An idiot?
He didn't mature at allー!!
Not at all! As expected it's Mikhail!
「I'm not an idiot! This is the result of various calculations!!」
「HAaAH!?」
I can't tell if he's angry or exasperated from his voice alone. I feel like it's probably both.
「I'm getting married!」
「I won't!」
「Will!」
「Won't!」
「Than who am I supposed to marry!?」
「As if I know!!」
……This is unproductive.
Jean-sama finally intervened in this pointless debate.
「That's enough. You guys really don't change huh.」
It was evident that he was shocked but happy.
「No matter what you say, we have a duty to respect her will. This is a decided matter.」
Told that by Jean-sama, he didn't reply.
And that expression was unchanging.
But probably, seeing my expression elated from winning, he should be feeling pretty frustrated.
I suddenly recalled our past fights.
To be honest, my winning percentage wasn't high.
But this time it's my win.
Hmph. 2
When Angel interacts with Mikhail, it’s really casual, and I find it so cute xD
