The next time I met Bertia was the next year’s winter.
Regardless we are still in engaged. (TN: kind of like unsatisfied feeling? its like they are engaged but they didnt see each other in a year. anyone know how to rephrase this to have that kind of feeling?)
I have invited her over countless times to deepen our relationship, but she’s always confined in Nochesse family territory mansion to [cure her disease].
Everytime her father the prime minister, Douglas Evil Nochesse, attended the court was asked how her daughter was doing, he would always have that expression of biting hundreds of bugs and laughed dryly and replied [My daughter is caught with incurable ‘stupidity’ disease].
…….. [stupidity] was muttered in a small voice , but having learned on how to read lips that has no meaning on me whatsoever. (TN: I really want to know what else can he do maybe use the force…?)
If that happens to be incurable, then it might be hard for her to become my fiancée.
Even as a child I at least know that much.
Furthermore, since after that happened she shut herself on her family mansion, isn’t it more or less [my fault]?
To probe more about this I sent an [Envoy] to investigate.
The report that came from the [Envoy] now and then had recently became my No 1 amus.e.m.e.nt now.
That’s why I know that every day, on day and night, she’s been wearing a boyish like clothes and running around her mansion.
Usually a young maiden on treatment won’t be screaming [2 Kilometers left!] while running around drenched in sweat right?
She has finally shown her appearance before me on the day before my 11th birthday.
“It’s been a long time, your highness Cecil. You don’t know who I am? I am your fiancee, Bertia Evil Nochesse. I look different right? I bet you don’t recognize me anymore….. Ouch! What are you doing, father?” (Bertia)
“Your highness, please excuse this stupid daughter of mine, I shall have her reeducated” (Douglas)
Count Nochesse and her daughter was waiting in the meeting room, and once she saw me, she smiled and greeted(?) me.
In a sense it’s a cuteness akin to a children, but being the daughter of a count and the crown’s prince fiancée that’s definitely an out.
I unintentionally smiled wryly as Count Nochesse brought his fist down to her head and small beads of tears appeared on her face.
By the way raising a hand in front of royalties should be problematic too but being a child I don’t have the guts to point that out to the count that has a compelling smile pasted on his face.
But having him take her back and if that leads to her confining herself again is kind of problematic to me.
After all she is the entertainment…. I mean fiancée that I haven’t seen in a year.
“Don’t mind it Count Nochesse, Isn’t she childishly cute?” (Cecil) (TN: cute like small child)
“As always your highness don’t have any childishness in you” (Douglas)
“I’ve been told that often” (Cecil)
As I tried to replied with a childish smile, and count Nochesse let out a snicker.
(TN: I mean laugh snicker not snicker bars in case you’re hungry and dont know it :P)
Still touching her head that’s. .h.i.t by her father, she looked at me with a slight tinge of red on her cheeks.
I’m not trying to brag, but girls would look at me like that sometimes. (TN: all real lifers should just explode)
Well, instead of [I worry if you’re gonna be a sc.u.mbag in the future] or [Sly kid] they shower me with [I have great expectations to your deeds as the king] (TN: sc.u.mbag as in playing around with female)
“Your highness, can you repeat, I mean could you please repeat that?” (Bertia)
Having lost all her momentum, she began to fidget around.
I tilted my head since I don’t really get what she’s saying, until she embarra.s.sedly muttered [Earlier you called me cute…]
So to her being [‘Childishly’ cute] is a compliment to her.
No wait, who knows if she had a strange filter that interprets things as they please on her ears.
Still, with a tinge red cheeks and fidgety looking at me with upturned eyes, I have to admit that she’s quite cute as a woman.
“Bertia, you don’t have to trouble your highness with that request, didn’t I always compliment you that? Just put up with that.” (Douglas)
In response to Bertia, the count hurriedly stopped her.
But isn’t asking her to put up with that sounds impossible since its coming from her dad instead of fiancé? (TN: you know its different when you’re called cute by parents and by somebody else that kind of feeling)
“But but… everytime you praised me you would always add a [Like a stupid child] at the end and it won’t make me feel happy. In addition…, getting praised by a hottie feels different!” (Bertia) (TN: hotties should really explode right now…)
“Bertia ….” (Douglas)
The way Count Nochesse looked is like looking at a regrettable children. (TN: beyond savings… look at darkness from konosuba and you’ll understand)
Seeing the two sorry state parent and daughter, I tried my best to hold my smile.
I don’t really know how she processed everything but I know that [‘Stupidly’ Cute] and [‘Childishly’ cute] can’t be seen as a praise…. Right, count Nochesse?
If it is during the talk between parents it may sound like a praise but saying it in-front of the people can’t be seen anything as an insult.
“Your highness, I really think that I should have a talk with my daughter and re-educate her, I will take my …” (Douglas)
“Don’t worry about it, count Nochesse, since it’s also one of her characteristics, isn’t she adorable?”
The count trying to separate us by using re-educating as an excuse was stopped by me.
I don’t know if it’s prevent her daughter showing her crude side in front of a crown prince or it’s [I won’t let you have my daughter] feeling that parents have, Regardless I won’t let you do that you know?
After all if I can’t see my fiancée I will feel bored…. I mean lonely.
On top of that I need to know if she has the disposition to become my fiancée and the future of the queen before I reach adulthood.
“” Your highness”” (Douglas & Bertia)
They both replied me at the same time.
But somehow…. I feel that the feeling brought by that reply is subtly different. One is the feeling of revering and being happy and the other one is like acting sorry while bei1ng vexed. (TN: the daughter-con is strong with this one…)
Even if count Nochesse does brilliantly at jobs, it seems he can’t hide his feelings if it’s about his private life.
More like he doesn’t feel like hide his feeling.
“Count Nochesse has an audience with father scheduled later right? Is it alright if I invite her to a tea while you do so?” (Cecil)
“Absolutely no………” (Douglas)
“Gladly” (Bertia)
Just as the count refused with a frowned face by reflex, Bertia interrupted him and accepted.
Count Nochesse, no matter how you pasted that smiling face, I heard that you clicked your tongue earlier you know?
“Thank you very much, incidentally why don’t we make our plans for tomorrow too?” (Cecil)
I acted as if I didn’t hear the count’s refusal.
Since I also added [plan for tomorrow], the count probably can’t refuse now.
Tomorrow is my birthday.
Since I and Bertia is still young, we still haven’t made our social debut. But since I’ll be the lead in tomorrow’s birthday party, I need to have my fiancée to fulfill her role as my partner.
In a sense this will also be a practice for when I grow up.
Well since it’s the crown prince’s birthday party, it’s going to be a public event. Since I haven’t made my social debut, slight crudeness in my behavior will most likely be overlooked, and getting used to these kinds of things before the real thing is not a bad idea.
By the way I did make sure to investigate if she could behave properly at public places but she seems to have mastered it. Although this is going to be the first time she appeared in public.
Being the more experienced one, it’s a given that I would follow up on any misses that she made but I still think that I need to discuss this with her in advance.
Since I made a hint of doing that, the count can’t really refuse me now.
Of course since it’s a favor from a royalty.
“As your highness know it’s my stupid, incompetent, and useless daughter so please take care of her. There might be unsightly behavior but since she’s still young, please overlook her” (Douglas) (TN: he actually said 不束な、不束な、不束な娘です but since it can mean that 3 things I just put it there at the moment…. I don’t know does it sound right?)
In short – [ You know she’s a sorry for a children right? But the one that’s saying it’s alright is you, you know? That’s why even if she did something stupid just take it as something [ a child will do] and overlook everything – kind of thing, right?
Whatever since I wanted to chat with her, I intend to do that anyways. As long as it kept me entertained anything goes.
“Of course, I am after all her fiancé. Rest a.s.sured that no matter what happens, I will try my best and follow up on her.
Hinting that I understand what he meant, I looked at the count’s eyes and nodded with a smile.
“I am relieved since the brilliant… genious you had said so. Bertia, even if your highness Cecil had said so, make sure to behave yourself!” (Douglas)
The count looked at me worryingly for a while, but I tell him from my gaze that I understood what he’s hinting (TN: I know this looks like a repet.i.tion of earlier but just think of it as the author trying to describe what the count is feeling at this moment)
Whilst giving a glance at her uselessly energetic daughter, he bowed his head and left after saying [Please take care of her].
“Now then, since the preparation for the tea is finished, let’s be on our way”
“Yes, thank you very much your highness”
After looking at the figure of the leaving count, Bertia smiled merrily and approached me. To escort her I reached out my hand and she happily took it. (TN: this prince is smooth as f…)
Being pure and all is good but isn’t she uselessly energetic?
Now that I think of it isn’t she aiming to be an [Flower of Evil]?
It’s true that she has slimmed down, and her face is looking better and better… but isn’t her personality the complete opposite of what she’s aiming to be? Is this alright…?