Once the whole family had reached an agreement, everything that followed became much easier. Ernst specifically sought out Svit to inform him of the matter and begin wedding preparations. Svit's family, meanwhile, was left dizzy by the pie that had suddenly fallen from the sky. Only then did Svit realize that his family's precious little cabbage had been... eaten by the Crown Prince.
"Your Highness, how did I never notice? They'd actually been secretly dating for years, and I had no idea. Their secrecy was simply too airtight," Svit said gloomily.
Ernst felt the same way. If he had not urged his son to marry, this old father would never have learned of his son's underground romance.
Still, he said, "You needn't feel any psychological burden. Since the two of them are mutually in love, we should fulfill their wishes. After all, the trend of free love is becoming ever more prevalent in society. This is no longer the Middle Ages or the times before."
Svit frowned. "Your Highness, I am mainly worried that this may affect the greater interests of the state. After all, royal marriages can secure considerable benefits for East Africa."
Ernst said, "As for that, I do not think the impact will be great. Aristocratic marriages are an important part of European diplomacy, but East Africa is not Europe after all. We stand alone overseas, and our ties with Europe have never been especially close. One could say that we have formed a system of our own, so royal marriages need not completely follow European traditions."
"Furthermore, as a nation of immigrants from many different origins, if Friedrich can marry someone with Far East Empire immigrant ancestry, it will greatly benefit the integration of East Africa's people."
Hearing Ernst put it that way, Svit also felt