“That’s why, Your Excellency. Why don’t you deliver the kingdom’s specialties to our merchant alliance?”

A middle-aged noble took a look at the surroundings where no one was around, sneaked up to him and asked a question.

But Maya just smiled like a mask and didn’t answer.

The noble tried to persuade him by stating the condition again.

“Of course, I know that His Excellency is not willing to do it. Twice the original delivery price! I’ll give you twice as much. How is it?”

“Marquis Selmon.”

Maya glanced at his wrist and called out to the man in a soft voice.

His wrist was stuffed with a wristwatch made in Emir’s prop shop.

The Marquis stared at the watch, which was said to be hard to find, for a while, and replied belatedly.

“Yes, yes!”

“I’m sorry, but time is running out, so I’m going to leave. Goodbye.”

“What? Bu, but!”

The Marquis tried to stop Maya as he tried to get up.

However, Maya resolutely refused to accept such persistent demands.

“Even the Marquis knows very well that in the first place, the Tuitte families only sell ships for trade to the merchants of the empire, and we do not sell other items. Don’t you know that making such a request is absurd?”

The kingdom to which Duchy Tuitte belonged was not allowed to freely export its own specialties to other countries over a certain size.

Delivery was possible only to a small number of licensed merchant alliances at a fixed price.

But now, Marquis Selmon broke the law and was trying to import special products illegally through Duchy Tuitte.

‘Since I’m a young heir who has just inherited the Dukedom, I might be taking things lightly.’

At this point, Maya vowed to sort out his relationship with the Marquisate.

Of course, after noticing that, the Marquis belatedly tried to come up with excuses.

“…… Your Excellency, I just have a suggestion that will help you too!”

“If you continue to make such a request, I will not have any further interaction with the Selmon family. What do you think, Marquis?”

The rambling Marquis finally became quiet.

Eventually, when Maya really wanted to leave the parlor, the Marquis hurriedly called him over.

“Hold, hold on! Your Excellency! Grab some lunch before you go!”

“I’m sorry, but I already have an appointment.”

Maya shook his head slightly without regret.

“…… ?”

“It’s a promise with old friends, so I can’t miss it.”

* * *

Of course, that ‘promise’ was, of course, a promise made with the Emir as the main axis.

Unfortunately, the time wasn’t right, so other kindergarten alumni couldn’t join.

“Duke Maya! welcome!”

The place he arrived at was none other than the mansion of Marquisate Saran.

Upon arriving in front of the peaceful and calm mansion, Maya’s stiff expression relaxed.

Maya smiled and greeted his old friend Emir, who welcomed him.

“Lady Emir, how are you?”

And Jake, who had looked at Maya with a subtly restrained look, greeted his old friend with a handshake.

“Is Lord Jake still doing well? Well, it’s a relief that both of you look good.”

Maya knew very well that the restraining gaze was due to the letter of courtship he had sent to Emir several months earlier.

But he never showed it outwardly.

As always, he greeted the two best friends with his signature smile.

Soon, the two answers came almost simultaneously.

“I’m fine, as you can see. Duke Maya.”

“Sure. Oh, and you arrived just in time. That’s good.”

“…… ?”

Maya tilted his head with a subtle smile.

What is this?

“The meal preparation has just been finished.”

Emir smiled broadly and continued.

“Oh, did you prepare the meal in advance?”

“That’s right. But today’s meal is a little special.”

“Special……?”

Maya looked like he still didn’t understand.

Emir responded by giggling and holding Jake’s hand.

“It’s a meal prepared by our Jake himself.”

“…… ?!”

Maya looked at Jake with a grim look.

He thought Jake was not good at cooking at all, but he had prepared the meal?

“Actually, he gave me a taste of it as a surprise gift a few days ago. Do you think Jake would have been a huge success if he had been a cook instead of a wizard? So at least I thought it would be nice to taste a nice dish together! In this way, it can also be presented to Duke Maya, clap clap clap.”

After Emir’s lengthy explanation, Jake shrugged his shoulders.

“…… that’s what happened. Well, it’s not that great, so I hope you don’t expect much of it.”

* * *

“Wow, this soup is really good? There was a reason Lady Emir highly praised it.”

“Haha, right? I never imagined that Jay would have a talent for cooking!”

Contrary to what the humble Jake said, however, the dish he cooked was very delicious.

Even though he was worried that a dinner with two lovers would be a little awkward, he was able to forget about that worry for a while.

“Jake, why don’t you open a restaurant next to my store? I will go every day.”

Jake laughed in response to Emir’s joke.

“If you want, I will really set it up. I would quit being a wizard and change my day job to a cook.”

It must have been a joke, but somehow it sounded serious when Jake said it.

Then Emir hastily changed her words.

“Well…… Come to think of it, you can’t!”

“Why?”

“Because I’m the only one who wants to eat it. It’s so delicious.”

“Yes, that’s fine. From now on, I will make it only for you.”

Maya, who listened to the friendly conversation of the two right next to them, smiled slightly.

‘The two of them get along well. More than I thought.’

Maya thought that it was lucky.

He wondered what to do if he got jealous later, but it seems that he was worrying for nothing.

Emir and Jake fit together like a picture, as if they were destined from the beginning. So Maya didn’t even dare to feel personal feelings such as jealousy or regret.

‘Yes, after all, they’re both my dearest friends.’

He didn’t want to lose the relationship between the two.

In that sense, it was a good thing.

That he no longer had the same feelings for Emir as before.

‘Maybe it’s because of my months of hard work.’

Maya prayed for blessings from his heart to the new lover and close friends.

‘Please be happy. for a long long time.’

He was the head of the family, obligated to succeed Duchy Tuitte

So, it was inevitable that he would get married.

The other person could be in an arranged marriage, but maybe..… Like the two of them, maybe a mate might appear that would miraculously suit him.

‘…… Well, it’s still a long way off.’

Maya smile inside.

* * *

Q: Count Alice Leona, how was it when you first found out that Lady Emir and Lord Jake were dating?

A: I was jealous.

Q: …… What? Excuse me, but maybe I heard it wrong.

A: No, you heard it right. At that moment, I felt like I had lost my best friend.

Q: But aren’t Lady Emir and Lord Jake the Count’s old friends?

A: Ha ha, of course both of them are my close friends……. No, until then, I was definitely Emir’s number one best friend. Do you know how much a close friend Emir means to me? Emir, Emir saved me when I was young. She is my eternal benefactor!

Q: Khhmm, calm down. If so, how are you now? Have you changed your mind a bit?

A: What can I do? I can only congratulate the two of them on dating and even getting married. If a beautiful child resembling Emir is born between them, I will definitely take the place as the godmother. I will also grant them the blessings of the fairies. I mean, I’ll come and play peek-a-boo every day! Oh, just thinking about it is already cute!

Q: …….

-Interview with Alice Leona-