MaruMA:Hajimari:Wolfram

Hajimari no Tabi Special Short Story: Wolfram

Text: Tomo Takabayashi
Illustration: Temari Matsumoto

"To deceive your enemies you must first become friends, I've heard that a lot but..."

Yuuri pressed three fingers to his forehead. A while ago his head had started to hurt from the weight of his crown.

"... I've never heard, to deceive your enemies you must first have a wedding"

"That's why I say you're just a wimp with good looks"

In front of his eyes Wolfram arrogantly crossed his arms over his chest. He looked important.

"Since we not only let Shimaron's spies infiltrate, we didn't stop the flow of information. So to turn the tables, we'll let some fake news slip into our own country"

"What you are saying is nice but"

Shining blond hair, and emerald green eyes that make you think of a clear lake. The angel-like bishounen, looked very good in his extravagant formal wear. but.

"Even so, why does it have to be a wedding. Furthermore, mine. Meaning mine and yours. And before that, one between two men!"

"To say Shin Makoku's king is distracted by his new spouse, the enemy would be under the impression that you are all spaced out about family, to make them think we are unprepared"

”Oh I see.... no! That isn't the problem. Why does it have to be mine and your wedding? If it's just to deceive the spies wouldn't it be a fake spouse!? If that's the case to make it look like that, hire a woman to play the partner. An actress or a model or an extra would be fine, someone to play a bride in a pure white wedding dress!"

"What, Yuuri, in a fake wedding you would like the person playing your partner to be a woman?"

"R...right, normally"

Yuuri guarded himself for the usual yell of "philanderer" or "cheater". But Wolfram had a calm facial expression.

"So you're saying, for me to be your partner, you can only think of it if it were the real thing."

"Wait, wait, don't decide a good person by yourself! I'm just saying if we are trying to trick our enemy spies, we should have a realistic fake wedding, I'm just trying to say for that, a beautiful bride is needed even if she is fake..."

"So needing a bride is the lie, right? So you're saying you don't need a bride."

"H...huh? No, no! I'm still searching for a future bride, still searching. But right now I have my hands full, it's still too early."

"Oh, so in your mental state right now, you want a bride to be by your side?"

"N...no...."

His head became dizzy from the difficulty of conveying his thoughts. This dizziness and headache might be from the weight of the crown, or it maybe it's from this uninteresting conversation, he couldn't tell.

".... Somehow, I've come to feel like whatever is fine."

"You're so stupid."

With this "you're so stupid", he felt like he already had a spouse, Yuuri lost his strength.

"It seems like you are just falling into what they call marriage blue on Earth."

"Pro...ba...bly."

"Nevertheless, you shouldn't just say that whatever is fine, ok? Think about it hard, it's a decision for your whole life isn't it?"

"... You're right."

"If you wanted a bride to stand by your side, you should have said so earlier. Well, it isn't too late now. We can gather dressmakers from across the country to make a dress."

"Yay, I'm happy.... there's no way right!? No, no, Who said they wanted to wear a wedding dress!"

"What, you want me to wear one? If it's for you it's not like I would refuse. I look a lot like my mother I can wear whatever dress"

After saying that with such a nonchalant face, he let out a short laugh.

"It's a joke."

Oh, he's joking. Before he sighed that out, Wolfram caressed Yuuri's cheek.

"Well since nothing is decided yet, we'll wait until you decide. I'm a big-hearted man. But, don't wait too long. Rather than me, it isn't good to keep the citizens' hearts waiting"

"Keep hearts waiting, Wolf..."

"And so you won't forget until then, here."

He lightly taped Yuuri in the middle of his chest with his index finger two times.

"Write it on the top of this list"

"... I'll write it"

"Alright. Let's change to today's ceremony for the fiftieth anniversary of the opening of this canal. Hey you guys, stop staring off into space and get ready!"

With Wolfram's instructions the surrounding subordinates hurriedly started moving around. Unseen by anyone else, Yuuri stroked down his chest in relief. And at the same time, anxiety and doubt and unknown feelings floated into his heart.

"Wait a minute. We were taking about a fake wedding to deceive our enemies, why was I making such a serious face...!?"

It's too late to enter his head now.

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