Gather Divine Coins and Gacha! - Chapter 224

 “You’ve come.”

Upon being brought to the palace in a carriage and entering inside, I found Seriana and Elena standing imposingly, waiting for me, and they said this as soon as they saw me.

“Yes, I’m here. But why are you waiting at the entrance again, my lady?”

Well, she was probably bored.

“I’m bored. Where’s your luggage?”

“I knew it... I didn’t bring any luggage. I’m wearing the blessed items, but they told me to come empty-handed since everything else is prepared here.”

“Good. Follow me, we need to talk.”

“Yes, yes. Your room, my lady?”

“Yes. You’ll sleep in my mother’s room, but you can use my room otherwise.”

“Wait... what? What does that mean?”

Why Minnea-san?

◇

Once we arrived in the room, they started explaining things to me, but they seemed to be subtly vague in some areas, probably to consider my feelings. It seemed there was a misconception that Seriana had a fondness for young girls, not in the sense of liking stuffed animals or frilly clothes, but actually being fond of young girls.

Those familiar with the manor in the territory or the one in Lutrul would know this wasn’t true. However, it wouldn’t be surprising if people misunderstood her intentions when they saw her bringing an unfamiliar girl, who might be a servant, into her bedroom.

I’m curious about how they investigated this, but I’ll leave that aside for now. This is also tied to the issue of succession, so it’s not something I can straightforwardly criticize.

Even though the truth is different and I could explain it to clear the misunderstanding, with the wedding approaching soon, now’s not the time for such clarifications. While no one within the country would attempt to harm Seriana’s life, there are still those who don’t have a favorable opinion of her.

It’s best to avoid unnecessary bad reputation if possible.

“I can stay in the servants’ quarters, you know?”

Or Elena’s room. I’ll activate the [Hideout] inside anyway, so any place with enough space is fine.

“The thing is, your blessing and the Queen’s summons are well known among the servants. While the servants working here at the palace are all very capable, there’s still a chance someone might be tempted. Initially, we thought of having you stay in my room, but my mother insisted on offering her room,” said Elena.

“Is it dangerous?”

Will I be kidnapped?

“Not at all. However, you are a guest here, invited by the Queen herself. Considering how you usually bless the servants casually, it wouldn’t be surprising if someone tries to ask for a blessing, and they might lose their head for that.”

“……”

Seriously!?

I thought it was just a nice bit of prestige to brush off foreign nobles, but Seriana’s explanation made it seem heavier than I imagined.

I was too shocked to speak...

“As Elena mentioned, the servants here are competent, but we should still be cautious. Since staying in my room isn’t an option, my mother’s room is the next best choice. Is that okay?”

“Well... if that’s the situation.”

There’s no need to unnecessarily test the servants’ self-control.

... But Minnea-san’s room, huh. I might not be able to relax much.

“Now, that’s enough of that topic. So, how was the city?”

Seriana clapped her hands, changing the subject.

“Well, there weren’t any suspicious adventurers or anyone noticeable. Alex said if anyone was around, they’d be inside the castle. Since there wasn’t enough time to infiltrate important positions, at best, they’d be guards. He told me to be careful.”

It hasn’t been two years since the engagement announcement. While some people might be influenced, none have gained positions where they can directly affect anything yet.

“I see... Even if they don’t intend harm, some might not like me, and it’s hard to tell. There’s no one like that in this palace, and if anything happens, it’ll likely be during the martial arts competition or the ceremony? But that’s also unlikely.”

She seemed to be mulling over her words, thinking deeply.

Even if she can’t control the entire castle, she should be able to keep suspicious individuals away from her. It should be fine... but being cautious is a good thing.