Reward [Part 1]

“Come now, Emma Stuart. What do you desire?”

The evening party began with a tribute to the House of Count Stuart.

~Years of efforts to protect the Kingdom from monsters.

Tax contributions to the Kingdom from their profits in the sericulture industry.

The handling of the local barrier hazard a year ago.

This era’s Imperial Japanese interpreter.~

It felt a little incredible when the deeds were lined up together.

The Kingdom had tried to bring up the subject of the reward to House of Count Stuart many times but was constantly refused. However, because no house had ever contributed as much as House Stuart, until the Stuarts were willing to accept the reward, no other houses would be worthy of one in the King’s eyes. This time, with the King’s personal persuasion, the Stuarts had honored their promise of receiving a reward.

The King gave a profound speech to the guests gathered at the evening party.

Even then, Rose’s small clap every time the King praised the Stuart family was so cute in its own way.

Emma couldn’t escape anymore. Pressure gradually caught up to her.

One step higher to the stage…

Guests, who were at least the rank of count, in the venue…

A surprise reward…

Something like the culture of being pleased from such surprises wasn’t a part of the Japanese, trueborn commoner Tanaka family culture at all. Having Melsa, the only one in the family well-versed in nobles’ society, away on a business trip to Imperial Japan was a big miscalculation on their part.

“You can choose a title, territory, status, fame, or even your marriage partner as you please.” The King smiled meaningfully.

“Come now, Emma Stuart. What will you ask for?”

Emma was forced to make this decision while being completely clueless because of George.

Standing in the middle of the stage, which was one level higher than the platform her family was standing on, Emma was driven into a predicament.

She glanced back and asked Leonard for help with her eyes.

Sensing Emma’s gaze, Leonard let his eyes wander almost seemingly on purpose.

Then, she threw an angry glare at George standing next to Leonard.

He averted his line of sight to his upper right, avoiding any forms of eye contact with Emma.

When she appealed with her eyes to her last hope, her younger brother who had the setting of a genius in this world, William standing next to George had his gaze fixed on Princess Jadwiga behind Rose.

…These useless guys.

Even though her father, older brother, and even her younger brother would risk their lives to protect her if this was an attack from monsters or thugs…

His Highness Edward, standing behind Jadwiga, was also looking at Emma worriedly.

Perhaps, even his son, the Royal Highness, was not informed of today’s evening party’s purpose. His Highness was a kind person, so he would have given her a heads-up when they met at the academy if he had known beforehand.

The things precious to Emma were limited. It was only her family, cats, insects, and food. She also wasn’t lacking anything so far.

If she were to ask for too much, she would say that the urban royal capital had fewer insects than the Palace. The mansion’s garden was large, but she already knew of all the insects living in it, so she couldn’t hope for new exciting discoveries.

To be honest, if they would really give her anything, Emma wanted to ask for a rare insect. But she knew…

That requesting an insect was a no-go for a noble daughter.

It was too insufficient as a reward in the first place. And Emma would probably get chewed at for putting insects and a noble title at the same level of importance. Although, insects were more valuable by a long shot from Emma’s perspective.

Then? What else? What else… do I like?

Ah!

“Then, Your Majesty, I like Rose-sama very much. Please give me Rose-sama!”

‘What I like…‘ As Emma desperately thought about her favorite things, the smiling Rose behind the King entered her sight, and her mouth moved on its own.

“Oh my, Emma-chan. I also like Emma-chan very much!”

“Eh? No! You can’t ask for Rose. Rose is mine!” The King shouted with great vigor while circling his arm around Rose’s waist to keep her by his side.

“Your Majesty…”

“I will never allow Rose to leave me.”

“Your Majesty…”

The flirting between a muscular ikeoji and a huge-breasted goddess… Even though he said that anything was fine… The rate of me encountering flirting scenes was too high these days…

It didn’t matter because Rose-sama looked happy, though.