I noticed the abnormality in the morning.

The harpies delivered their eggs as usual. Usually, Peris or Gon was in charge of accepting them, but that day, Rico was coincidentally in the garden.

「Pyipipipi」

「Ara, did you bring some eggs? Thanks」

「Pyipipyi」

「Hee~ Did you bring it by yourself? How great of you」

「…….Rico can converse with the harpies?? 」

「No, I can just vaguely understand what they mean」

She didn’t understand them at all a while ago. I hurriedly activated my appraisal skill.

Hideta Shua Ricolette (Princess, 23 years old) LV32
HP: 69
MP: 188
Water Magic LV2
Pole Arts LV2
MP Recovery LV3
Education LV4 [¹] Etiquette LV4

Education and Etiquette skills have leveled up. Above that, her level also increased substantially. What is happening?

For now, let’s examine Gon, Jeneha, Irimo, and Peris. Although they increased their skills in some areas, it wasn’t as exaggerated. Finally, I appraised Merias.

Merias (Slave Sage, 17 years old) LV47
HP: 141
MP: 375
Alchemy LV4
Blacksmith LV4
Pharmacist LV4
MP Recovery LV3
Education LV4
Etiquette LV1

Self-loathing

Her skills have risen as a whole! Did she compress about 20 years’ worth of training into one year? What is going on?

「Maybe, they increased because of your ties as a husband and a wife. Most likely, it is an effect of divine protection」

I immediately departed to see Ohi-sama. Of course, I brought a lot of offering with me.

「You didn’t know? The owner of divine protection skill can passively increase the skills of his marriage partner. Of course, it is only applicable to high-level divine protection. It may show some other effects except increasing the skill level too」

「In other words, the more you do it the more the skills would increase?」 [²]

「No, it should work only during the first time. Because of this characteristic of divine protection, I advise you to be careful in your relationships. If you start spreading skill in every direction, you may become confused. This mistress summons every member of our tribe to check their condition once every three years」

Really. For me to raise the skill of my partners…….It shouldn’t be made public.

Thanks to her increased skills, Merias’ research is progressing well. Apparently, new ideas kept popping inside her head one after another. Because of that, she used all of her free time to shut herself in her workshop.

During this period, she successfully completed the sheath for the Holy Sword. Who would have expected, when the sword is in the sheath, it automatically removes the stains and fixes the nicks, with it, the sword would always be in a perfect condition. Elated, I immediately embraced her.

As Rico’s education rose, she became able to occasionally converse with Jeneha and Peris. I was interested in the content of their conversation, but the result made me flabbergasted. She made the soy sauce. The soy sauce that was well-suited to my tofu. As a result, our menu increased dramatically. Of course, Rico was embraced by me too.

The mourning period for the late emperor has ended and it about time for His Highness Hito to receive the crown. I and one additional person of my choice were invited to attend the ceremony. I put on the unfamiliar clothes and attended the ceremony together with Rico.

Rico in her dress was especially breathtaking. The passing nobles always turned to look back. 「Who is this lady?」「Ricolette-sama」「Eh!?」I could hear such conversations from all sides, as a husband, I became slightly proud.

She stayed most of her life in the palace, yet her dress was exquisite. I was sure that she didn’t lift anything heavier that the chopsticks due to her princess status, but she was easily able to make her own dress, she was indeed good at sewing. She was influenced by the late tutor, Madam Kurumfar. Kurumfar educated her in a way that she would be able to do anything by herself. Her unrestrained heart was also cultivated in that place.

When the ceremony was over, we were summoned by the new emperor.

「First things first, relax」

「As expected of the coronation ceremony, it was splendid」

「Well, I need to put up an appearance. Can’t help it」

「Is this how it works?」

「Still, Ricolette sure has changed」

「Maybe……because I married? 」

「Umu. That might be true. It seems that your marriage wasn’t a mistake. Do you want to thank me for my discerning eyes? 」

「I guess I should」

The two laughed. After a while, His Majesty assumed a serious expression.

「All right then, you were summoned here to discuss the matter of Ricolette’s retainers」

Since the rebellion of the yesteryear, Ricolette’s servants and retainers have been stripped of their power. Needless to say about those, who have been directly involved in the rebellion, those, who have been suspected to be involved in the rebellion, were either jailed or confined in their homes.

「I didn’t consult with the prime minister yet, but I’m thinking about giving the amnesty to the participants of the rebellion of the yesteryear」

「Elder brother…….will you be fine with this? 」

「The instigator of the rebellion, count Kurumfar, is already dead. Most of those, who have been directly involved, were cut down together with him. I do not wish to shed any more blood, spilling the blood right after the coronation will leave a bad aftertaste. The captured people aren’t that influential, while also highly competent. Ricolette reminded me that the current empire wastes too many of its talents. Instead of executing them, we should make use of them」

「However, Your Majesty, does that mean that you found a suitable task for them?」

「That’s exactly right. I’m thinking of leaving the territory of the late count Kurumfar in your care」

「Isn’t it…….impossible? I’m a member of the Juka Kingdom」

「No, officially, my younger brother Viras would be the one in charge. I want you to give them an opportunity to spread their wings in the Kurumfar territory. In the first place, that territory isn’t very prosperous. After all, there is a monster’s forest nearby. Well, it is close to the sea so you can receive some profit from the salt」

「Where is this territory exactly?」

「Northwest from the capital, right across Kazamu Lake」

「If you proceed east through the woods from our mansion, you can eventually reach it」

「How far is it?」

「About one day on the horse, if you start in the imperial capital. It is two days at the longest from our mansion, if you go at full speed, you can reach in one day」

「Un, I’m not that elated about being something as troublesome as a lord. though」

「Please, Rinos. I knew those people for the most of my life, they are like comrades to me. Please, save them」

「At first, it would be fine to leave the troublesome matters to the prime minister. Officially, this territory belongs to the imperial family. Do as you see fit. If you can make something out of this territory and contribute to the empire, it would be fine, if you can’t, it would be fine too. Infusing people’s minds with the ideas that can instigate another rebellion would be rather problematic. Well, I shouldn’t be concerned about it if it’s Rinos-dono」

「I’m not so sure」

「No, you tamed my little sister to such an extent. Winning over the population should be easy for you」

「Is this how it works?」

「Well, the amnesty will be announced at a later date. Most likely, somewhere around the summer. Take your time to think things through until then」

Think it through, he said, but he is still the emperor. The fact that he consulted with the prime minister prior to this meeting had already made this close to an order. And I, as an honorary marquis, don’t have the right to refuse such an order.

For now, we decided to leave the room and visit the prime minister to go through the details. The prime minister cried

「My workload would increase once more……」

while holding his head. I could refuse, but it would delegate all the work to the prime minister, please spare me from that, the prime minister almost begged me.

After staying for the night in a high-class hotel, we returned to our mansion. On the way, something black passed above us as we were flying on Irimo. My map didn’t display anything out of the norm, so it didn’t seem to be an enemy.

What I didn’t notice, was the fact that this black entity muttered as it was looking at us.

「Ufufu, found you, I have finally found you」

The glowing red eyes gazed at us from the sky.