Gather Divine Coins and Gacha! - Chapter 290

 “Good work, Seria-dono. Teresa-dono.”

The gatekeepers of the western gate of the Riana territory's capital city saluted us, placing their hands on their chests in unison.

Despite the cold weather, they only wore scarves and gloves, yet they stood sharply at attention.

Beyond the gate, there was something like a guard post, and even those waiting inside came out. This must be the first squad.

“Yes, good work to you too!”

I returned their salute.

“Thank you for your hard work in the cold. Please return to your duties.”

“Yes! Excuse us.”

At Teresa’s words, they returned to their duties… truly diligent.

I passed through the gate and looked back after walking a little, but they weren’t chatting or anything.

“They’re really serious…”

I don’t normally use this gate, but is this how they always act? They're quite different from the second squad.

The second squad would likely greet us with whistling and laughter.

“The soldiers on gate duty are the face of the city, so they’re trained in etiquette as well. Especially under Captain Rick, who is very strict…”

“Given our different roles, is it okay for us to be as we are?”

The second squad prioritizes toughness, roughness, and aggressiveness over the knightly image, as long as they keep the bare minimum of discipline. They aren’t bad people, but they would likely rebel against this soldierly behavior.

“At least for now, the current members and those we’ll recruit in the next 2-3 years will probably turn a blind eye to etiquette. By then, the territory should stabilize, and we’ll be able to conduct regular recruitment exams.”

“Hmm… 2-3 years, huh? If we have that much time, do you think they’ll soften up?”

Rather than forcing them to change, it seems like it would be better to let time gradually soften their personalities.

“Even if it doesn’t work out, they aren’t involved in public relations, so the impact will be minimal. Now then, Princess, we’re heading to the mansion. Please hold on tight.”

“Alright! Thanks.”

I let go of her hand to return the salute but held onto her again.

To reach the lord’s mansion by land, you would usually head from here to the central plaza, then turn south, pass through the developing noble district, and finally climb a hill. But with the [Floating Orb], you just climb the hill directly from the western gate, and you’re at the mansion.

Though entering through the back with the guards so close by feels a bit off, we’ll just have to overlook that!

◇

“Ahhh…”

There wasn’t a “kapoon” sound effect, but I submerged myself in the hot water and let out a sigh.

After climbing the hill and arriving at the mansion, even though we’d only been away for a week, I entered through the front door instead of the window. On Seriana’s instructions, a bath had been prepared, so I went straight there.

For the record, I’m using Seriana’s bath, and Teresa is in the guest bath. Since the western gate of the city is within Seriana’s skill range, she probably noticed we had returned.

“Seria-chan, your face is red… are you alright?”

As usual, having an attendant made me feel a bit uneasy, but I appreciated it.

“Hmm? Maybe I’m starting to overheat…”

How long have I been in the bath? About 20 minutes?

Talking about Zelkis made the time pass quickly. I’ve overheated rather than just warmed up.

“Shall we get out soon? Don’t you have to report to the mistress as well?”

“Ah, thanks. Yeah… I should…”

I took the glass she handed me and drank it in one gulp.

The drink was nicely chilled, with the refreshing juice of some citrus fruit, like lemon or grapefruit.

The bath in the 【Hideaway】 is more convenient, but this place has better service. Using this bath every now and then is a nice change.

“What about your hair…? It’ll take a little time to dry.”

I wiped my body and changed into the clothes provided, but my hair was still wet.

I wrapped it in a towel, but it would take time to dry completely.

Some of the servants can use drying magic, but it seems she can’t. Well, I can’t either!

“The mistress is in the lord’s study, right? If I go there, someone can dry it for me, so I’ll leave it as it is.”

“Are you sure?… Don’t get scolded, okay?”

“No worries, no worries.”

I smiled at her concern.

Normally, this would be outrageous, but… in my case, such behavior is not only permitted but also seems to be expected.

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Seria・【Hideaway】+1 【Prayer】【Mira’s Blessing】・【Floating Orb】【Shadow Sword】【Scarlet Bee’s Stinger】【Fairy’s Eye】【Dragon’s Lung】【Amber Sword】【Danlem’s Thread】・1 card (11)

Seriana・【Area Detection】・【】・35 cards

Elena・【】・【Green Fang】・5 cards

Alec・【】・【Red Shield】【Fierce Horn】・12 cards