The very next day, Mother's father — Baron Green — came to see me. I had no memory of him at all, but the previous Robby must have met him before, because he greeted me with,
"My, you've grown quite a bit since I last saw you."
As my grandfather on my mother's side, he did bear a resemblance to her.
"I heard you wished to consult with me about something?" he asked right away.
"Thank you for taking the time to come see me despite your busy schedule. The truth is, I suddenly started worrying about my future. When I asked Mother about it, she introduced me to you, Grandfather."
Grandfather's eyes widened in surprise. He stayed frozen for a moment, but at least he didn't start crying like the others.
"Could you tell me more specifically what's on your mind?"
I had already gotten used to this pattern of surprising people with my words.
"Yes. I'm worried whether I'll be able to live as a member of the royal family as I grow up. It would be nice if I could keep living happily with Mother, but I'm a man, after all. I can't stay in the inner palace forever, can I?"
I simply expressed my anxiety about the future, but once again, he looked shocked. When I emphasized the word "man," he seemed to understand.
"Indeed… once you grow up, you won't be able to remain in the inner palace indefinitely."
After recovering from the shock, Grandfather responded normally.
"Exactly. That's why I wanted to ask — what do the other princes usually do after they come of age? How do they live once they leave the inner palace?"
At that question, Grandfather's shoulders slumped a little.
"Well… I'm truly sorry. Our family — your mother's side — is not very powerful. Normally, the maternal family of the King's wives and concubines is responsible for supporting the princes once they reach adulthood: finding them a marriage partner or a suitable position. However, our house lacks the influence to do that properly…"
He explained that only families from ducal, marquis, or count ranks could properly support an adult prince. Lower-ranking families like viscounts or barons struggled greatly. In the worst cases, they ended up supporting the prince for the rest of his life until he died.
Of course, exceptionally talented princes could become ministers through their own abilities, but if they were too outstanding, the King (their brother) might grow jealous, demote them, or even accuse them of treason and have them killed. Being too capable could actually destroy them. That's why most princes found it safer to act a little foolish and live quietly.
Grandfather said he used to wonder whether the old Robby was genuinely stupid or just pretending. After talking with me today, he now believed the previous Robby had been deliberately acting the fool. From his tone, it sounded like that "idiot" act had actually allowed for a more peaceful life.
At this point, I decided to boldly ask about more private "manly" matters. I had Cass leave the room since this part was off the record.
Grandfather looked surprised but then shared some of his own youthful stories with me in a hushed voice — stories he had apparently never told anyone before.
Finally, I brought up my own situation.
"Above all, a prince must never lay a hand on the maids. And absolutely never get one pregnant!"
He warned me very sternly. The reason was harsh:
"The maids come to the palace aiming to marry into wealth. Even if the 11th Prince — pardon me, a prince with no claim to the throne — approaches them, they will simply reject you. You would only end up humiliating yourself. If a maid approaches you first, you may respond, but it is better not to initiate anything with them."
It was a rather depressing and hopeless lecture.
Then I wondered how princes usually handled their sexual needs. When the question showed on my face, Grandfather continued,
"Once you make your debut in high society, there are noble ladies of high rank who enjoy taking young men as lovers. It would be good to build relationships with such women."
Oh? That sounded promising. I already had someone in mind — Countess Rosette. I should keep my expectations high!
As for what to do when getting older, he said,
"The best option is usually to seek a position as an assistant or acting lord in some rural territory and marry a daughter connected to that lord."
I asked why princes — supposedly a rare and valuable bloodline — were treated this way.
"His Majesty the King has far too many children. The kingdom has no trouble securing an heir, but dealing with all the surplus princes has become a major problem. In the future, some princes might even marry into merchant families."
He kept delivering one dream-crushing truth after another.
Finally, we reached the main topic I cared about most. Since I wasn't allowed to touch maids in the inner palace, what about Cass and Marin-sensei?
"Catherine Gilmore is the personal maid of both the Princess and Prince Robin. She has a husband, but they have no children together — her husband has children with another woman. Because of that, she left her husband and now serves here. If Prince Robin desires it and Catherine consents, then such a relationship might be possible. She probably won't expect to become your wife. Even if she wanted a divorce, her husband would likely refuse due to appearances."
What wonderful news! My grandfather was amazing!
"I must repeat — it all depends on Catherine. She is already around thirty years old, so she may have moved past such matters."
Thirty and already past it? What a waste! Thirty is still a woman's prime, isn't it? Or maybe in this world, with different average lifespans, a woman's time as a woman is shorter. No — a woman's prime starts at thirty! She still has plenty of flowers left to bloom!
…But I wondered what kind of flowers they would be.