Business in the royal capital is progressing smoothly. The construction of Charlottenburg isn’t going smoothly, rather it’s progressing ahead of schedule, and the construction zone I’m in charge of, or rather, the secret underground passage, is progressing smoothly.

A bill to appoint me as the head diplomat was also decided and my appointment ceremony was also held. With this, I have officially become in charge of negotiations with the Demon Country, the Yamato Empire. The original diplomats wouldn’t be amused, but I can’t complain because no one has succeeded in diplomacy with the Demon Country before. If you wanted to complain about my appointment, you needed to have proven you had a leg to stand on.

Since it was officially decided, I sent a contact to the Caan Knighthood and told the Yamato liaison officer in Caanburg to contact their home country.

The negotiations this time will be relations between the Kingdom of Ploiss and the Ploiss, not the negotiations and treaty conclusions that I had with House Caan last time. Unlike before, this time it will be a formal diplomatic negotiation mission, and it will take a considerable amount of time to be sent.

Our King here and the Emperor over there are too quick to decide on anything… I want them to think about it more carefully.

They always make quick decisions, and even then they just give me the job… I want you to think a little more carefully. It’s good that you listened to my request right away, but don’t rush to say unnecessary work must be done immediately.

For a diplomatic issue between normal countries, is it possible that preparations, legislation, and negotiations are all done in a month or so? How fast they go… It’s normal to think in terms of years…

In any case, all these works are progressing smoothly. If there’s anything that isn’t going well, it’s…

“Lastly, talk about love at a place where you can see a beautiful sunset and then kiss each other! This is absolutely the best way to go!” Mikoto yelled. “This is what will get a man smitten!”

“Kuh, I don’t think we can kiss…” Margarete said, turning red.

After I suggested that she go on a date with Ludwig and get to know each other better, we’ve been discussing this and that, but we can’t quite come to a decision.

“Um… I think it would be nice to go to the crepe cafe and after he gets some cream on his face, you lick it off,” Louisa said hesitantly.

""

It’s true that it’s a rather heart-throbbing situation, but I often come up with things like that without any modern knowledge. Is it popular among ordinary people?

“Such, such a shameless act is…” Margarete stammered, again red and fidgety.

“I mean… in the first place, I don’t think His Highness Ludwig would make such a mistake as putting cream on his cheeks…” I said, cutting in for the moment.

… Such situations only happen by chance. Moreover, it must be said that the royal family, who are thoroughly trained in manners, are extremely unlikely to do such careless things. A strategy that won’t work unless the partner does something first is meaningless.

“I see……” Louisa said, taken aback.

Sorry……. But that kind of thing only happens in manga and anime… It’s difficult for the other party to conveniently make such a mistake… If you’re dealing with someone who usually eats messily, you might still have a chance, but it’s impossible for the royal family with proper manners.

“Then what about the store clerk intentionally spilling or throwing something on him?” Katharina asked.

“… Won’t that clerk be charged with a crime?” I asked, cutting in again.

If the clerk deliberately spilled drinks or food on the Crown Prince, wouldn’t he be charged with a considerable crime? Even if they didn’t do it on purpose, they would be arrested.

“That is why, first of all, find out what the other person likes through correspondence!” Alexandra said.

“That would take too long…” I said.

Alexandra is too obsessed with stylistic beauty… it’s true that noble relationships start with correspondence, but how many years will it take for Ludwig and Margarete’s relationship to progress? At least I want to make a little progress before I leave here.

""

“How about inviting him to your room, pretending to get weak, having him take you to bed?” Claudia asked. “If you’re alone in your bed-chambers, what man wouldn’t make a move on you?”

“They’ve always lived together in the royal castle, so if Margarete collapses, wouldn’t it just be normal to call the castle doctor?” I asked.

In the first place, didn’t Claudia’s words come from a man’s point of view? Rather, it’s just Claudia’s wishes and favorite situations, right?

“Here, first of all, the two of them should go shopping together at Caanza Trading Firm’s 1st Branch, and then they would get close to each other in the narrow store aisles…” Bianca said. “Then they would have a light meal at the 2nd Branch and the crepe cafe, and they would lean on each other’s shoulders. Wouldn’t it be better if we let them eat together like that?”

“Bianca… isn’t that just an advertisement for Caanza Trading Firm?” I asked.

I called in Bianca’s ideas to get more opinions from other perspectives, but it’s something of a work in progress… it’s good that you’re so enthusiastic about your work, but isn’t it all about Caanza Trading Firm’s sales? Of course, if the royal family and the daughter of a duke became regular customers, they’d be a big boost to business, but…

“However, just denying ideas won’t get the discussion going,” I said. “Plus, Bianca does have some input that needs to be considered.”

When it comes to my image of a date, I feel that Bianca’s idea is the closest. Isn’t a date supposed to be shopping, shopping, eating, looking around, and doing all sorts of things together?

“Then let’s think about the plan and route of the date while referring to those opinions,” Katharina said.

“Well…”

What Katharina is saying is not wrong, but I get a very strange impression when she says something like that. I wish she could come up with a date plan… it’s not that easy to decipher… it’s difficult because there are many things I can’t understand here…

I’m at the royal castle again today. But neither Margarete nor Ludwig is here. The two are going out on a date today. Then why am I in the royal castle…?

“Ms. Puddin’!”

“Yes, yes. What is it?” I asked.

Bohu!

I catch Eleonore as she jumps at me to hug me. Margarete invited Ludwig to a date today. That’s why I came to the royal castle to take care of Eleonore during that time.

Margarete was worried about Eleonore when I was thinking about the date plan, so I convinced Margarete that I would take care of her in the meantime.

Everyone thinks about Margarete’s date plan in various ways, and there are many tricks that the two of them will be aware of.

It’s not a sudden date or a random one, but a carefully crafted strategy to capture Ludwig’s heart, so we’re mobilizing all the hands of those who can help… or rather, they’re laying out traps and surprises.

Since we have borrowed the help of Caanza Company and other places, there are quite large-scale projects, and the plan and support are perfect. If Ludwig doesn’t see Margarete as a woman he can love after today’s date, then Ludwig doesn’t have the balls and we should just give up, or Margarete doesn’t have “it.”

I’ve been prepared to say that. If you fail today, it’s important, so Margarete must be very fired up.

And I can monopolize this angelically cute Eleonore during that time. Wonderful! What a great trade! I’d rather stay like this for the rest of my life! Ludwig can go to Margarete! Eleonore can go to me!

“Ms. Puddin’!”

“M, my… Princess Eleonore, you’re such a spoiled child, aren’t you?”

Pretty! Too cute! Give me a squeeze! She’s giving out cute voices while hugging! How good you are to pamper! If you do something like this, I’ll listen to anything you say!

“But my name is Flora Charlotte von Carruthers. I’m not Ms. Puddin’,” I said.

“Hmmm… Flora! I like Flora!” Eleonore said.

“Howah!”

Nipa! She said that with a bright smile. It’s over now! I’m taking her home! Will I be convicted of royal kidnapping? Who knows?! Then I will destroy this country and take her away! Eleonore belongs to me!

“I want a snack!” Eleonore said.

“Eh… that’s…”

I can’t just give food to Eleonore without permission. No matter how cute Eleonore is when she says so… I can’t just feed her…

“No good~?” Eleonore said sadly as she tilts her head.

“Uuu!”

Oh my God, how cute! It’s too good to be spoiled! She’s the youngest! Is it because she’s the youngest?! I’m the youngest too, but I’ve never been spoiled like this before! No, maybe that’s why Father thought I was possessed by a demon or something just as creepy… Should I have been spoiled like Eleonore?

Anyway! Such a cute Eleonore is suffering! I have to help her!

“I know what you are thinking. Don’t sneak her snacks outside of meal times.”

“Hiuu!”

I was surprised when I was suddenly called out from behind. Looking back at the door, Wilhelm is looking at us with it slightly ajar.

You pervert! No matter how young a girl is, how can you open the door without knocking and sneak a peek into a girl’s room, even though there’s another female guest inside?! Even a king can only do so many bad things and must otherwise act good! Well, in this world, I’m sure it’s accepted, but… I can’t forgive you otherwise!

“There is something called proper discipline,” Wilhelm said. “It’s not okay to give them as much as they want because they want it.”

“Ugh!”

What Wilhelm says is correct. If you only give them treats because they want them, they may stop eating properly or only eat what they like. With that in mind, it’s just as Wilhelm said, and it’s important to have a set meal at a set time. There is also the issue of malnutrition and obesity to think about.

“However, it’s your cooking anyway,” Wilhelm said. “I’m certain you’ll give her something, yes? If so, I’ll be there to make sure it’s something proper.”

“Oh, right……” I said.

In the end, Wilhelm just wanted to eat what I brought, didn’t he? I wish he could say that to my face…

It’s before noon, so it’s not good to eat something very filling. In this world, the common people often eat two meals, breakfast, and dinner. Even if you eat it in the middle of the day, it feels like a snack or a light meal, or if you get a little hungry… just eat something.

Compared to that, there are many people who eat lunch among the royal aristocrats. This country in this era isn’t that wealthy, but even so, there aren’t many nobles who would have trouble with food. Above all, there is a culture of eating lunch and lunch breaks at the school, so I think it spreads to the upper class from that place.

That’s why the royal family also eats a decent meal for lunch. It’s not a lot, but I guess you could call it lunch. If you eat a snack before that and your stomach swells up, you’re in trouble. So I have prepared a snack that won’t make you so full.

“Then please have this,” I said.

We’d moved to the dining room and the table is surrounded by King Wilhelm, Queen Elisabeth, and Dietrich, who had also come for some reason. The waiters line up the items I brought as gifts to them.

“What is this? Pudding?”

“It’s white… is it jiggly?”

Everyone is perplexed when they see the contents of the bowl that was put out. That figures. In this world where milk and other dairy products are underdeveloped, it’s something you don’t often see.

“This is called yogurt. It’s sour as it is…” I said.

“Ahn…, nnnnn~~~~! It’s not puddin’!”

Even though I was still explaining, Eleonore scooped up yogurt and ate it, frowning and wriggling. It’s cute, like some kind of weird toy. But I would like her to hear the explanation first. I thought that would happen, so I was about to say it…

“Eh~…, just as Princess Eleonore has become like that if you eat it as it is, it will be a little sour, so please eat it with your favorite jam or honey…”

Even on Earth, yogurt originated in various parts of the world, and it is difficult to specify when and where it originated. It has been discovered many times at the same time in various regions for quite some time.

There was something like yogurt in this world as well. However, in this world where dairy farming is not popular and there is not much milk, it seems that it was not a major thing. I searched for it and got the manufacturing method, and recently I started commercializing it.

This is also a matter of taste, and if nothing is added, it will be sour. It’s a little hard to eat unless you add the various jams, honey, and sugar that we prepare at the crepe cafe to make it sweeter.

“Hmm… I’ll taste it a little… I see… It’s definitely sour,” Wilhelm said.

First of all, everyone was interested and tasted it as it was. Even though I told them it was sour… Of course, when you eat something for the first time, you may be worried about the taste of the raw state, but… well, it’s fine…

After that, everyone would add sugar, jam, or honey to their liking and eat it. They were surprised at first, but it seems to have been well received.