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Some days after I met Federico-nii-sama, a letter arrived for me.
"Lord Raimond. A letter of invitation to a tea party from Lord Federico has arrived."
"Thank you, Maria."
Perhaps she was very happy that I was interacting with the other brothers besides Gian-nii-sama and John-nii-sama, because she handed me the letter with a smile.
I took it and took the letter out of the envelope to check the contents.
"Wow. This smells really good."
A floral scent wafted from the letter that I took out of the envelope.
It was written in delicate characters, inviting me to a tea party, and the letters were more delicate than I had imagined. I wondered if it was Federico-nii-sama's handwriting, or Ludo-san's.
"Well then, Maria. Like I said, I'm going to participate in Federico-nii-sama's tea party, so can you bring me some souvenirs?"
"Yes, Lord Raimond."
I had told Maria about participating in Federico-nii-sama's tea party for some time now, so I'll take some sweets from the Osto Empire as souvenirs.
It's that famous sweet that looks like the annual rings of a tree. Yes, it's Baumkuchen.
Although the name is different, and there's a difference in technical skill in the manufacturing process, I remember that the one I ate in Japan was tastier.
However, since it's a valuable sweet, I'd definitely like to go to the Osto Empire sometime.
Putting that aside for the moment
When I left my room, it was Cyril-sensei who was on guard again today.
"Cyril-sensei! Please take care of me again today!"
"Yes, Lord Raimond. I will protect both Lord Raimond and the other lords today."
Cyril-sensei was as ideal a man as ever. If I remember correctly, Cyril-sensei is thirty this year.
And Maria is twenty-four. I wonder if they could get married?
Then I'm sure I'd be good at doting on their children.
They'd definitely be cute. I don't want Maria to marry a mediocre man, and I want Cyril-sensei to marry the best woman.
Well, let's put that aside too.
"Hmm? Raimond, are you going somewhere? It's rare for you to go anywhere besides me, Giancarlo, and Giovanni."
"Ah, Brother Bertrand. Yes. I'm going to a tea party at Federico-nii-sama's place today."
I happened to run into Brother Bertrand, who was walking in the hallway, on my way to Federico-nii-sama's private room, so I honestly answered him.
".........Hoh? To your brother's place, huh."
Brother Bertrand, who had been normal until just now, narrowed his eyes at my words.
"Can I go too?"
"Eh, you're asking me? I don't know if there's enough tea or sweets."
"Hmm......... That's probably alright. He'll probably have extra prepared. I'll go too."
Brother Bertrand, who said that with his brow furrowed slightly, pushed the book he had been holding onto a man who was probably his attendant.
"Well then, let's go."
"Eh, eeeeeeeh........"
I was pulled by the arm by Brother Bertrand and started walking towards Federico-nii-sama's private room again.
"By the way, did you tell Giancarlo and Giovanni that you were going to your brother's tea party?"
"Yes. Gian-nii-sama hugged me, and John-nii-sama was very worried."
When I told him that, recalling how they were the other day, Brother Bertrand smiled slightly.
"Hmph. I figured. Raimond, aren't you afraid of your brother?"
"Yes. I can tell that Federico-nii-sama likes us, so. I hope that someday Gian-nii-sama and John-nii-sama can join us for a tea party too."
As we were talking, we arrived at Federico-nii-sama's private room.
"Excuse me, it's Raimond."
"Yes, yes, come in~!"
I knocked on the door to Federico-nii-sama's private room, not the study I had visited the other day, and called out like that, and opened the door after hearing Ludo-san's reply.
"Welcome, Rai-sama~! Oh? Lord Bertrand, you've come too~."
"It's been a while, Bernardo."
"It's been a while! Oh, that's right. Lord Andrea is here today too."
"I knew it........."
Andrea is one of my older brothers. He's one year younger than Brother Bertrand, and is the third prince of this country.
He usually helps with diplomacy, and it seems that the country is divided into Federico-nii-sama for domestic affairs and Andrea-nii-sama for foreign affairs.
I've seen him at parties and private dinners where all the royal family members attend, but I haven't talked to him much.
So I didn't understand why Brother Bertrand frowned when I heard Andrea-nii-sama's name.
"U-Um. Brother Bertrand. Did something happen with Brother Andrea?"
"Rai-sama doesn't need to worry about it. What should I say, doppelganger hatred?"
"............Not doppelganger."
Brother Bertrand scowled mightily at Ludo-san's words.
"I don't want you to say that, and I don't want to be lumped in with you either."
A voice different from that spoke, and I turned my face towards it.
"Yo. You're Raimond? This is the first time we've talked like this, right? I'm Andrea, nice to meet you~."
A man with red hair walked out from the back of the room, waving his hand. It was one of my older brothers, Andrea-nii-sama.
Both he and John-nii-sama have roughly the same red hair, but to be precise, John-nii-sama's is vermilion. Andrea-nii-sama's is maroon. In other words, Andrea-nii-sama's is a little darker and has a slight pink tinge.
"Ah, Andrea-nii-sama. Are you also participating today, Andrea-nii-sama?"
"Yup. Well, I'm the host? Nice to meet you~."
When I stretched out my hand to shake hands with Andrea-nii-sama, who narrowed his cat-like purple eyes and smiled, it was stopped by Brother Bertrand from the side.
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