Chapter 190

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I said my goodbyes to Brother Aran and headed to my original destination—Her Majesty the Queen’s quarters.

“Ughhh, my hair got all messed up...”

“Ahaha. Still, I didn’t know Aran could smile like that.”

“Huh? He doesn’t usually smile?”

“Nope. Most of the time he’s expressionless, and even when he does smile, it’s just a faint twitch at the corners of his mouth. That was the first time I’ve seen his face change that much.”

“Wow... Oh! Ryuk, I have something for you.”

“Hm? What’s this?”

“Candy. Since you look after Brother Aran.”

I pulled a small jar tied with a red ribbon and filled with amber candy out of my storage and handed it to him.

“You sure? Thanks.”

Ryuk’s refreshing smile—priceless.

＊＊＊＊＊

—In Her Majesty’s private room.

“Joaaaaan, it’s been a while~!”

“Oh, I brought the kusamochi~!”

“Yay!! Everyone, it’s tea time~!”

“““Yes~”””

With that single declaration from the Queen, the maid trio began bustling to prepare tea.

Lately, the four of us have been having tea together at the same table.

““““Mmm~ Delicious!!””””

“Joan, did you help pound the rice? With a mallet and mortar?”

“Yup. Everyone at the Lampail house joined in.”

“Ehh, I wish I could’ve helped too!”

“Ahaha, let’s do it next time then.”

“Oh, and Young lady Joan, you’re becoming the talk of the palace~”

The youngest maid, Pia, commented.

“Oh, I heard it too,” said Sera.

“What, what? What rumor?”

“Your Majesty, please don’t lean in like that.”

“Fiiine…”

The Queen reluctantly responded after being scolded by Suzy.

“They say there was a beautiful girl with a white dog who melted the Ice Prince’s cold heart~”

“The version I heard was that the Ice Prince is completely enamored with some mysterious beauty.”

“...…”

Seriously? That just happened a moment ago, and it’s already the subject of gossip? That’s terrifying...

“The ‘Ice Prince’… you mean the one from the royal guard? Joan, any idea who that is?”

“I do… Actually, that’s me.”

“Knew it~”

Apparently, both Pia and Sera had guessed it was me the moment they heard it, but pretended not to know.

“So how did it become such a rumor?”

The Queen asked.

“Who knows? I did go see him in the dining hall just now…”

“Joan, you know the Ice Prince?”

“Know him? He’s my cousin. Brother Aran.”

““““Ohhh right…””””

“Probably because Brother Aran never even fake-smiles for the women in the castle, but with me he’s his usual self. People in the cafeteria must’ve seen that and started the gossip. Ryuk, who brought me there, also said Brother Aran is normally expressionless.”

““““Ahh, that makes sense.””””

So that is how people see him.

Even Her Majesty and the maids see Brother Aran as Mr. Expressionless.

“But Joan, you should be careful.”

“Hm? … Ah, yeah. I guess this is kind of a classic setup.”

“““Huh?”””

The Queen and I knew what we meant, but the three maids tilted their heads in confusion.

“Umm, forgive me, but we’re not following what you two mean…”

Suzy apologized.

“Ah, well… not many people know that I’m related to Brother Aran, right?”

All three nodded.

“So imagine—someone they like suddenly smiles at a girl they’ve never seen before. That doesn’t exactly feel great, right?”

“““Ahh…”””

“But… what exactly do you mean by ‘be careful’?”

Sera, who was from a commoner background, seemed puzzled.

“What if… instead of just feeling annoyed, someone starts feeling hostile toward me?”

“Ah…”

“That’s why I said be careful. You never know who’s watching from where.”

“Oh, but even just coming here could make me a target too…”

““““Ah… true…””””

“Well, it’ll be fine. If something happens, I’ll deal with it then.”

“Young lady Joan, is that really something to be so carefree about…?”

Suzy looked genuinely worried.

“I’ve got this, at least.”

I pulled a pendant out from around my neck.

“What’s that?”

“A pendant with antidote effects, a barrier, and resistance to sleep and paralysis.”

“Wow, that’s one hardcore item. Did you make it?”

“Nope, it was a birthday present. A collaboration from the Longest brothers and Aunt Julietta.”

““““Ahhh, Lady Julietta.””””

“Right? Then it makes sense. Still, even if it’s unlikely… what about the risk of, say, kidnapping?”

“Hmm. I can teleport, and more importantly, Pearl wouldn’t let that happen so easily. She’s always with me.”

(I can sense hostility directed at Joan.)

Pearl spoke from the floor at my feet.

“Then I guess you’re safe.”

“Even Her Majesty is being too relaxed about this…”

““It’s fine, it’s fine~ Hehe, right?””

“““Haaah…”””

The three maids sighed at our optimistic attitudes but said they’d help spread the word that we’re cousins to squelch the gossip.

According to Her Majesty, gossip from the maid trio has credibility, so baseless rumors should fade away.

“Oh, by the way, Joan, did you put in your order for your school uniform?”

“Yeah, this morning.”

“What did you choose? Knowing you, it’s probably not the classic long noble-lady style, right?”

“Pretty much. By the way, what did you all wear?”

“I’m a commoner, so knee-length pleats. Same for Sera.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“I had the long length.”

Suzy said.

“I went with just below the knee~”

Pia, even as a viscount’s daughter, chose a mid-length. Is that the fashion now?

“So Joan, what did you go with?”

“Well, I ordered a below-the-knee flared jumper skirt and a knee-length wrap culotte skirt.”

“Ohh, having two options makes it easier to mix things up.”

“Um… what’s a wrap culotte skirt?”

Pia asked, so I drew a quick sketch to explain.

“A noble girl wearing a knee-length skirt is rare enough—why would you wear culottes underneath? Knee-length doesn’t fly up easily, you know?”

Sera seemed genuinely baffled, since she went to school in a knee-length skirt herself.

“Huh? But it will ride up if you run or fight, right?”

“““Huh?”””

“Pfft…”

The maid trio was left speechless, and the Queen burst out laughing.

“… Didn’t Madam get mad at you for saying that was your reason?”

Suzy referred to my mother as “Madam,” probably since she’s married to Mr.- Abe. I only just noticed that.

“Um… she yelled, ‘What exactly do you think you’re going to school for!’”

“Yes, I can clearly picture that scene.”

“Ahaha… my bad.”

(Suzy, it’s Joan. Can’t be helped.)

“““““……”””””

Pearl’s blunt comment left everyone utterly silent.

What do you think about this chapter?