Stranger’s Handbook

Chapter 27: Finding Excuses for the Suspicion of Infidelity

Inside the Frontier Count Razatonia’s office, we were sitting in a seiza (1) position.

“I see. So grandson-in-law-dono got something in his eye and Albert tried to take it out?”

“Hahaha, that must have been it. Zest seems to have fallen for Bea and I’ve never heard rumors about him……I haven’t heard any rumors about Albert either.”

“…………..”

‘Is…is it so, I wonder? Was it all a misunderstanding from my part?’

Albert and I were sitting in a seiza position while trying frantically to explain what happened.

Since in this world is not really that rare for men to engage in sexual relationships, the reactions were unnecessarily huge.

Just a little longer. I must endure.

“Bea, you are the only one for me. Albert is just a friend and comrade of arms, we have no such relationship whatsoever. The only one I love is you, Bea.”

“That’s right! When Zest-sama goes drinking with us he only talks about you, and when we go out with the young ones to that particular shop, he always says ‘Let’s have fun together!’ and even pays for everything, however I am the very serious type so I quietly wait for them in the waiting room drinking some tea!”

Albert, you idiot…..Don’t tell her that!

“…….The…the young ones” “Albert, that’s something that’s supposed to be a secret, you know?” “? What kind of shop is that?” (2)

Young lady, it’s ok for you not to know about it.

However, being suspected of homosexuality is really bad…..It’s not unusual for commoners, but homosexuality is prohibited for nobles.

Since they value the household and blood relationships above anything else, not having children is considered heresy.

“All right, this time it was Bea’s misunderstanding.”

The Frontier Count concluded.

It took us 2 hours to get to this point; it was quite the torture.

To say nothing else but how much I love their daughter in front of her father and grandfather for 2 whole hours…I can’t find any proper word than torture for what I’ve experienced.

Albert, you idiot, just shut your mouth!

Don’t talk about that panty-less bar anymore, the master is staring at us.

…………….Master is also a regular customer there, so I want to keep it a secret, you know!

When Albert was about to say something unnecessary I hit him from a blind spot and master’s high speed poke in the forehead flew towards him as well, so we managed to overcome the crisis somehow.

“That’s right Bea. You received a colored diamond from Zest, haven’t you? That’s the evidence he didn’t do anything wrong, you should calm down.”

“Oh, right. I most certainly received one.”

‘That’s right! The pink diamond. Towards me, Zest-sama really…….Ah!…..I feel embarrassed!’

The pink diamond?

Ah, I gave her one during that incident with the dark grimoire in the shape of an exchange diary.

“Why didn’t you say that earlier? If that’s the case then you shouldn’t have doubted him in the first place. I see, so he gave you a pink diamond…..Bea, I’ll arrange for it to be processed, so you should just put your wishes together and tell me, okay?”

What the….Since they brought up the pink diamond the atmosphere changed with a 180 degree.

“Right, that would be great! Since you are engaged now, there’s no better accessory for you than this diamond. That’s really great, Bea.”

“Grandfather, father, thank you.”

‘A pink diamond accessory…….Something that most nobles who only get married out of convenience are yearning for…….’

“Yes, yes. However, a pink diamond, I heard that it’s something that only newly-wed commoners who marry out of mutual love can wear. What’s wrong grandson-in-law-dono, making such a face, don’t tell me you didn’t know about this?”

Everyone looked at me simultaneously.

Albert, don’t you dare look at me and say ‘You gave her a pink diamond and didn’t even know…..’ You’re supposed to explain things to me properly, you know!?

When the time for training comes, I’ll remember it.

“Zest, there is a condition for the pink diamond.”

Master seems to be kind enough to explain it to me.

Thank you, let’s go again to the panty-less bar together.

“When you think of your partner and pour your magic into a raw gem, it’ll turn pink. When the partner receives it, they’ll pour their magic into it in the same manner. When you do that the color will adhere to it and it will never change.”

I see, it has such a nature, huh?……Master, I would’ve liked to get this explanation earlier, you know.

“Having done that, the diamond that memorized both your magical powers will become some sort of a magical tool. If you harbor the same type of feelings that you had in the moment you created it for someone else, it will shatter into countless pieces. In short, it’s used as a declaration of intention like ‘I won’t cheat on you, you’re my one and only partner’”.

“I see. That’s why is only used by newly-wed commoners…..Can you hand it over to another person?”

“Obviously you can’t do that. If you do that, it will break. That’s why the craftsmen who process them have their hands rather tied.”

That’s one treasure that nobles can’t really get. It’s really a tool that strongly proves the purity of the body.

It’s not broken yet, right?

I took a fleeting glance of the young lady and she turned her back to do something. When she turned around she had a pink diamond the size of a marble in her hand.

The young lady kept it somewhere close to her……

“Ooh! It has such a wonderful tint to it” “So this is a pink diamond? It’s the first time I’m seeing one.” “Zest-sama, you’re stepping on my tail….Zest-sama?”

Shut up, Albert, I’m doing it on purpose.

After that, the young lady was in a wonderful mood and decided on her appointment with the craftsmen, thereafter we were dismissed.

The pink diamond has various meanings……Right after my engagement I was suspected of cheating. I was really close to death this time.

And what’s worse, it was a male partner.

Since it was already late, I decided I’ll remain in the castle to rest for the time being and soon a room was prepared for me.

Really now, that Albert, from tomorrow’s training onward I must firmly ‘instruct’ him.

I decided on doing just that and fell asleep.

Then, starting the next day, the daily training sessions were being restored.

In addition to that, I also have my tea meetings with the young lady and the courtesy calls to various nobles.

Apart from that, I simply went back to my previous ordinary life.

I started ‘training’ Albert with scrupulous care.

You can call it an outburst of anger, but he was the one in the wrong.

Master seems to have snapped as well because of the panty-less bar incident, so he thoroughly showed his ‘affection’ for him.

Right, I also received some really cheerful news one of these days.

We will have a new family member! I don’t yet know whether it’s a younger sister or younger brother, but my foster father and mother are really happy about it.

That’s to be expected though, since both gave up the possibility of having children because of my mother’s infertility. But now, they finally managed to have a child of their own.

However, now that a true child of the Gaiyus Viscount’s Household is about to get born, they’ll be the one to inherit the household, right? I might not be needed anymore.

When I voiced out my thoughts, my foster father punched me.

‘Even if you’re an adopted son, you are my successor. Don’t say such foolish jokes a second time.’

That’s what he said.

My foster mother embraced me closely.

‘You are too a member of this family. Don’t say such sorrowful things.’

My parents here are really too gentle.

Father, please don’t glare at me like that.

So this is the family’s love expression, huh?…….What am I, a child?

However, these generally peaceful days in the Frontier Count’s territories were unexpectedly approaching their end with the arrival of a visitor.

“By imperial command, it is requested of Zest Gaiyus to go to the imperial capital. His Majesty the Emperor is graciously allowing you to have an audience with him.”

And so, my trip to the imperial capital was decided.

I can’t possibly say……that I don’t want to go, right?…….

(1) Seiza = kneeling with the tops of the feet flat on the floor, and sitting on the soles.

(2) the first line is Razatonia’s, the second is Sonia’s and the last is Bea’s.