Chapter 7: This is the first of many fluffy moments

17 June 422

It was early in the morning. No one was there to disturb me in my little office as I continued to scribble furiously on the poor piece of paper several notes, equations and words.

The reason behind this crime against paperkind? I was working on something a bit 'private' in a very limited frame of time.

While some of my trustworthy aides knew that I was not from 'this place' and that I was showing to be a little flamboyant compared to the classic medieval style, I hardly felt eager to reveal the simple and harmless fact that I knew much about the not-so-distant future.

Sudden death of the entire royal family, the Witch Cult turning active after so much time of silence, dealing with Gusteko and Volacchia, and finally the most important of the known issues.

Since I had been summoned here by someone that wasn't the Witch of Envy, I was fairly sure I was going to see Subaru in a year or two and...

I will be honest, I don't think I would be able to bear the fact I was going to deal with someone so much... 'outgoing'? I mean, I can forgive the fact he is a jobless NEET and that at first he was quite idiotic in not assessing his situations early on during the first month, but to think that he would be the one to commit quite the heinous deed in the whole world?!

'I love Emilia'.

Even thinking about that little detail was irking as- WHY WOULD YOU REFUSE SOMEONE AS SWEET AS REM!?

While I was sure as hell NOT going to meet the murderous twins and that creep Roswaal, I cannot understand HOW someone like the boy could be that much dense.

...Okay, I might be getting incensed more than necessary because I did grow with some chivalrous feeling for women and that put down was... wrongfully unraveled.

It was obviously an opinion. One that will possibly manifest in the form of a serious skull bashing until the next RtD session for the unlucky Barusu.

But skipping this whole parenthesis about the Japanese native, I was now focusing on a pressing detail of my current predicament.

Economy was an essential part of a city and Erindor wasn't no exception.

The city was largely depending on the fertile grasslands that were being owned by large landowners that used peasants for the hard work. There wasn't much of a wage system in this case, but the few regulations that were set to limit the capacity of the nobles to exploit the system were actually interesting to study.

The first thing that jumped on mind was to introduce an innovative Planning Board that would have the role of formulating ideas and drafting laws' previews to pass to the Mayor. Of course the members had to be chosen out of merit and not by 'birthright', but some of the ones I had planned to invite were from the elite class of the city that had showed outstanding responses to several minor crisis that had hurt Erindor just four years ago.

The second step was a progressive tax system that was meant to reduce the fiscal weight on the people's shoulders, both the rich and the poor.

The reason behind this relief act was all explained by the following idea of mine: State-owned shops.

Introducing several activities that were owned by the city itself, in this case the Mayor, I would create work for some of the less fortunate local merchants while also sparking some competitiveness among the foreigners. Fixed prices were going to become a thing in those new shops and while the independent merchants would be able to set lower prices to entice a large chunk of the people to them, this was all resolved by a signed proclamation.

The new shops would enjoy a proper documentation that legitimated their activity and the authenticity of the products sold in those places. While some of the crowd will surely keep buying cheap, the rational bunch would be easily swayed to verify the truthfulness and unknowingly built faith in the local administration.

And while this concluded positively for the needy, I still had to solve the issue regarding the nobles.

My first thought was to intrigue the richer people to invest in buildings or art, to usher some pseudo-Mecenatism to induce a proper economic boom, but the idea lacked the foundations: How was I supposed to 'push' them right where I wanted them to be?

Arrogant and quite pompous in their ways, Erindor's nobles were hardly dumb enough to fully fool with a simple trick and I was hardly capable of stretching the current, available funds to bribe some of them into kickstarting the whole process.

Just as I let out a tired sigh, folding the paper with the notes and safely putting it in one of the drawers of the desk, I noticed that the door to my office was open.

I tilted my head, not in confusion but with amused curiosity. Fourier's short ahoge twitched the same moment Hans' and Fritz's animal ears did, the trio knowing that they had been caught spying on me.

"I am surprised you are all awake at this hour."

Understanding my cue, the blond prince was the one that took the lead while entering the room, yawning a little. "I am as well." He said ever so calmly.

"And?"

He sighed. "And I was just thinking about spending some time pestering my good friend!" I groaned at the louder final bit and mock-glared at him.

"While also dragging the twins out of their bed." He looked sheepish and I thought it was out of embarrassment.

"A-Actually we woke up early because-" "It's healthy!"

I stared at Hans as he finished interrupting his younger sibling, the boy blushed and I sighed back. "I suppose that you will keep quiet about the real reason?"

The two looked away, averting their eyes to the floor as Fourier chuckled. "Let them be just this once." He smiled. "I bet they will tell you when they are ready."

I opened my mouth, contemplating the fact that I was now noticing how father-like I was being and... how old I was sounding.

I am barely in my twenties and already a... surrogate uncle? Boy, I didn't plan out the whole family's outline and-

Wait, was this how Naofumi felt when Raphtalia had turned into an adult?

The age-gap between me and the twins was less than the one between the two mentioned characters, but it was also true that this wasn't a Game-like world.

Those kids were not going to turn into adults in mere months and for that I was glad. The mere thought of seeing my children-No, I need to stop this and-

"Also, is that true that you saved Prince Fourier?" Fritz's voice interrupted my brief musing and I blinked as the blond royal pouted at the question.

"I-It was more like I saved your dad tripped and I had to save him-" "I also remember someone not seeing a sneaky soldiers tried to skewer them up."

"O-Ohi! I was just trying to help you up and-" He paused and he snorted while I snickered a little at his scrunched expression. "You know, you are quite a prick to be my friend."

I blinked and smiled even more. "Then I guess I am fine, since I am your 'good' friend."

He was trying so hard to keep his scowl but- "Pfft-" It was a chuckle, then a brief laugh and I shook my head in amusement.

What a royal dork!

I was about to continue on my spree when- "Dad?"

My attention was suddenly centered on Fritz, the more extrovert of the two brothers as his eyes widened at my surprised expression. "I-I mean- I didn't want to speak above m-my station and-"

"N-No. I mean, if you are comfortable I don't see why-"

Hans coughed and closed his eyes. "Sir, if you wish to punish my brother, I would request to get his punishment for me."

..."W-What? No, I mean-" I stopped, sighing tiredly as I had seriously forgot about their upbringing. "Look, I know that this is still new, but I care about you two and..."

I stood up and walked around the desk, stopping few meters from the Demi-humans twins and... crouched down on one of my knees, arms spread a little bit as I invited them to approach.

They looked surprised and I could see Fourier's red eyes mirthfully keeping out of the situation as the moment unfolded.

Fritz was the one that rushed first for the embrace after spending some moments of futile resistance to the flood of emotions finally breaking his dam. Sobbing on my shirt, my hand softly went to ruffle his head.

His foxy ears twitched and lowered as the boy continued to cry a little more. "There, there..." I whispered to him, while staring at Hans.

The introvert looked hesitant, the emotional hesitation far stronger than in his younger brother but-

He took one step, then two and finally went to slowly enter the embrace. He didn't cry, but he held close as his sibling continued to weep.

Few moments passed and I was about to end the hug, maybe pick up Fritz to comfort him a little more-

Right as I felt the sudden weight pressing on my back, a familiar pair of arms hugging me from behind, I could feel Fourier smiling behind me.

"What are you doing?"

I could only imagine that he was now holding back some chuckles at the predicament he was creating.

"I... wanted a hug?" I don't know if I was terribly annoyed by his lack of honesty in that statement or by the fact I was goddamn smiling myself.

What an infuriating prince!

"Actually, I think my legs are giving out. Could it be sleepiness?" I felt a tick mark forming on my forehead as the boy further pressed on my back and... I lost my footing.

The boys moved in a coordinated manner, moving away from the 'disaster' as I slammed harmlessly on the floor, Fourier giggling like a dumbass while he ignored my muffled demands of getting off.

I huffed annoyed.

This wasn't a prince! I was dealing with a man child in the making!