CH 48

President of Scarlet Chamber of Commerce

At this moment I am doing my job as a servant.

Although the sun was shining happily because of the sunny weather, the air was still very heavy at the moment.

“I will never g*mble again. …… Never, never, never!”

“……”

I said with regret as I propped my elbows on the rocky table and covered my face with my hands.

The money had been squandered because of gambling.

I thought it would be fine if it was Sankechu, but it didn’t move at all from the start to the end of the game.

“I worked so hard, but within minutes it was gone. It’s a scary place! No, what’s scary is the human desire!”

“Well, what …… should I say about that ……”

It was Celestia, who was listening to this complaint, really tired of it after all, and she just stood quietly by …… somehow trembling with a bit of a blue face.

Look at that look, it’s almost as if she feels responsible for something.

“… That’s right! Today, I have prepared ochazuke with trial and error to please Chrono-sama!”

“……”

To change the atmosphere of the scene, Celestia began to serve with a dazzling smile. She seemed a bit anxious for some reason, but I think she was concerned about me.

The way she carried out the preparation without a hint of rustiness, one could not imagine that this was the work of the princess known as the goddess.

…… What a nice girl, I couldn’t tell that she was the same person who had just thrown out the customer I was in charge of.

“Huh? That’s Princess Erika and Hakuto. Let’s exchange.”

……? This is Princess Erica and the girls, right? Let’s trade.

“……”

I stood up as soon as I noticed the scent of the visitors, but Celestia was unmoved.

“I will find a way to fool those children over there, so I don’t think there is any problem in continuing like this.”

“Eh… okay, is that right?”

“Yes, please leave it to me.”

What should I say. Maybe it’s because I’ve just suffered a defeat, so I’m not confident.

But since Celestia had said it so strongly, I would leave it to her.

“Is Glass here?”

“Hey, wait, is there someone else there, oh my ……”

Princess Erika entered the saloon without a word, followed by Hakuto, who gave the impression that he still retained some common sense.

Whichever of them it was, they could not help but freeze at the sight of Celestia who was enthusiastically looking after me.

“….. Nee-sama, what are you doing!”

“I don’t think it has anything to do with you guys, but let’s just answer it for the sake of it. This is bridal practice.”

While replying as if nothing had happened, Celestia placed the bowl in front of me.

“It’s ochazuke made from seafood soup stock. I hope it fits the taste of Mr. Glass …”

“What do you mean, ……?

(I can’t believe it. You’ve made “dashi-cha-zuke” on your own…..?)

I trembled slightly from the shock of Celestia’ potential power and the humiliation of my failure in my field of expertise.

I couldn’t stop staring at the delicious food that was laid out in front of me.

“…… It was the first time I had ever seen Nee-sama take initiative to meet a man and take care of him like this. It’s totally unimaginable. ……”

“……”

Princess Erika said in shock, and Hakuto was also shocked to the point of speechlessness.

“…… Well, forget it. Please prepare one for us too. I’ve never seen or heard of Nee-sama cooking in person.”

“Really? Can I?”

The innocent boy who was sitting down like a little brother behind Princess Erika also changed his attitude quickly.

This is too rude in front of the betrothed …… to say something about him a little.

“Now, Mr. Glass’s salon is in use by me, so please hurry out, you two.”

“Eh ……”

Facing Hakuto’s almost disappearing voice and the desperate expression on his face, my prepared preaching words were stuck in my throat and couldn’t speak.

I was ready to say something, but I couldn’t say it in my throat because of the desperate look on his face.

“Haha…? Are you going to treat Glass as a betrothed, Nee-sama?”

“Even if that’s the case, what does that have to do with you?”

Princess Erika, whose mood had dropped, confronted Celestia, who spoke without emotion.

But I couldn’t resist the faint aroma of the seafood in the ochazuke, and I couldn’t resist picking up my chopsticks.

It shines golden.

“…… Of course it’s related. You said that Glass was a related person to the Demon King. And that he no doubt used improper means.”

“–!?”

“…… eh -”

I put back the pair of chopsticks that had been reaching for the ochazuke.

Hey, hey, hey, is this girl really not a spy? Isn’t this even an improper means to leak out.

I cast a suspicious look at Celestia as if her majesty up until now had been fake.

“…… Celestia-sama, this is more than regrettable, it really makes my stomach hurt.”

“No, that’s not it! It’s because I’m too close to Erika that I’m saying that! It’s true, believe me!”

That was quite a disgrace.

Celestia was scrambling to make excuses to an extent she had never seen before.

Princess Erika and Hakuto were astonished at the appearance of Celestia, who had reversed her attitude.

“I can’t believe that …… that sister-sama can act like a normal person …… eh? Come on really?”

“How could ……”

“Please you guys stop saying that. I will prepare for you, so be silent and stay quiet for a while.”

Celestia, who was acting a bit self-conscious, started to prepare something to prevent further deterioration while I, who was still a bit skeptical, started to taste the ochazuke.

“Here is it.”

“…”

With a thud and a bang, a loaf of bread was placed in front of them, which had been taken out of nowhere.

It was just a loaf of bread cut into two halves. It wasn’t even put on a plate, it just sat there.

It was a far cry from the ochazuke that had been so carefully prepared for me.

“Don’t you think it’s a bit strange?” ……*

“Is there a problem?”

Princess Erika couldn’t help but ask as she faced Celestia, who had returned to my side to stand by.

“That gap is the problem! It’s the first time I’ve been treated with such a big gap!”

“Is that so? If you can grow up from this experience, I will be very happy as a sister.”

Celestia, who had completely become a bit of a mess, could already be said to be a bit disgusted.

“…… Glass, please prepare my share for me.”

“I understand. I’ve already enjoyed it very deliciously, Celestia-sama. But it’s about time to change back.”

“Alright….”

I took Celestia hand, which was vaguely flushed, and guided her to sit on the rocky chair instead.

“Please sit here.”

“Yes ……”

I’ll have to give her a good lecture on the risks of information leaks, and I’ll have to teach the newcomers about the prohibitions.

Looking at Celestia, who was blushing and obedient, Princess Erica looked even more surprised than before.

“… Is this person really my Nee-sama? It’s unbelievable. …… It’s not hard to understand if she is Glass’s brother, but why is it Glass?”

I’ve told Princess Erika, who has an enigmatic sense of sensitivity, about having Mob replace me as a servant, but it seems that Mob has also been well received by Princess Erika.

“……”

Celestia in other hand, perhaps so as not to show any unnecessary flaws, just quietly ignored Princess Erika.

“…… chew chew ……”

“How about at least eating it with something, Hakuto-sama.”

When I saw Hakuto, who was so sad that his brain went blank, eating the bread dryly, I hastened to prepare jam and honey for him. You just turn that sadness into strength and do your training well.

“…… Glass. I’ll take you with me to the party. Come and pick me up in castle.”

“Mr. Glass already has an appointment with me, so what you’re saying is not going to happen. It’s pathetic.”

“……”

The swords were drawn between the two sisters and sparks seemed to erupt around them as if they were visible to the naked eye.

…… Although there is no fortune, I am still somewhat unusually close to these two.

♢♢♢♢

At the same moment ……

Scarlet Chamber of Commerce headquarters.

In one of the rooms of the magnificent castle-like building, a meeting with a foreign prince was taking place.

“Want me to join you guys at the banquet, is that what you mean?”

“……”

Goso tried desperately to conceal his heart by putting a calm expression on his cold, sweaty face.

However, the aura of dominance emanating from the woman in front of him was too unusual.

Even the powerful guards borrowed from Cassius, who were standing by behind him, seemed to be overwhelmed and swallowed up by the mere presence of this one person.

In the room decorated with lavish decorations and paintings, a petite woman sat on a magnificent sofa with her legs crossed.

Her black hair, a little reddish as if it were in flames, was decorated with butterflies, and her face was childlike but her eyes were also sharp with power. This woman, under 20 years old, dominated the scene alone.

The mere presence of the woman made people flinch.

“You can’t start anything if you just show fear. Answer something.”

“……”

His wandering eyes naturally darted down the bold red dress to the Hildegard-quality bre*sts…

“Hii!!”

A circular hole appeared on the right half of the couch where Goso was.

“I’m ordering you to answer. I’m already very agitated by the time allotted for a little man like you. Don’t forget that.”

Hildegard continued with her question, pointing her finger at Goso with a magic bullet.

The magic power consuming skill was directly used, and then she continued without changing her face.

“…… I’m, I’m the Prince of Kujaro!”

“So what? Are you trying to say you want to die?”

In the current situation where even the guards could not move their feet at all, Goso, who was desperately protesting, was only trying in vain. Red magic gathered in Hildegard’s hands.

“I know, I know. I have the money ready. In any case I hope you will come to my brother, he ……”

“……”

At those words she glanced faintly at the pile of gold coins placed on the table.

(… appearance fee?)

Hildegard would not have acted if he had not been paid. Even the invitation from King Light and the nobles she had unceremoniously refused.

Having this Hildegard at the party would have shown a sense of status. Hildegard presumed that was what they had in mind.

“I’ll show my face. That’s all.”

“…… eh?”

Hildegard’s hand, which had been reaching for her teacup, listened and looked towards Goso, who had given his response in a stupid voice.

“Oh, Prince, this Hildegard is a busy person! Please leave now!”

“What?”

“Then, Hildegard-dono, excuse me!”

Pulled by the guards, he left the room as if he had been evicted away.

“……”

As if completely uninterested in the man who had just left, she moistened her throat with black tea as she recalled something about the report she had received that morning.

In the past few years, the pr*stitutes and casinos run by the “Hidden Ones” had been increasing in performance and were now close to the c*sinos of the Scarlet Chamber of Commerce.

If there was a clue to this, it was the struggle between the dark organisations that took place at the point of divergence.

However, there are no rumours that the organisation’s top management has been replaced.

It was clear that the leaders had not changed their course of action, but had changed completely. This seemed incredible to Hildegard.

(Our intelligence also doesn’t know anything…)

Rising from her seat, she made her way over to the bed.

Then she cast a grim and cold look across the Royal Castle, which stood on the north side of the capital.

“…… Celestia Light ……