81
4 Estio
- Episode 5
"I don't feel bad for the rest of the imperial family. The 'Marisa' we're meeting today? He probably doesn't even know my face."
The strongest sword held by the Emperor is the Heiga Duke. Still, the other royal families rarely encountered Mubin because they were sent to a distant territory without being close to them. Moobin laughed and talked about it like a joke, but since it wasn't something to laugh at, no one laughed.
"This is it."
The meeting point indicated on the map was an ordinary flower shop.
When the door opened with a rattling noise, the shopkeeper greeted them with a yellow freesia in their arms.
"Welcome! This is Lantana from <Always Green Hill>. What kind of flower did you come to find?"
Always Green Hill was the name of a flower shop. A green-haired woman, who introduced herself as 'Lantana', approached her with a beautiful bouquet of flowers in her arms. Her concave, concave face, full of her smile, was as fresh as the bouquet of flowers she was holding.
Besides her, there were several other male workers carrying heavy manure and piles of dirt and several female workers watering flowers. As a store located in the imperial capital, it was quite large for a store that only sold flowers.
Estio recited as it was written in the request.
"I came to see the crystal flower."
"Oh my goodness."
Estio got the feeling that the other person's eyes were shining. Lantana smiled and asked again as she neatly placed the freesia she was holding in the vase.
"Crystal flowers only bloom on rainy days. Will you come back on a rainy day, sir?"
"Please guide me to the hill where flowers bloom."
"Did you bring the invitation?"
Estio took a small coin from his pocket and handed it to Lantana. At first glance, it looked like a silver coin used in the Empire, but if you look closely, it was a special plaque with colorful flowers engraved on it.
That was the proof of the transaction that Princess Marisa put in the request form.
"Sit here and wait a minute."
Lantana, who looked at each and every detail of Estio's hand out card, guided them inside without questioning any further. Inside the shop, there was a set of tea tables waiting for you to enjoy refreshments while looking at the flowers.
Lantana, who had Estio and his party seated, ran and locked the door. Her staff rushed in to her aid, closing her windows and carefully pulling down her curtains to block the gaze of her outsiders.
It was unusual for him to move in unison.
'They're all knights.'
Moobin noticed without difficulty that the entire store was made up of people planted by the first princess. Male and female, all were well-trained knights.
Moobin thought that the client paid special attention to security as she was a princess. The flower shop staff had a lot of grass and fire marks on their hands when they were carrying the soil, but they were talented people who could spit out swords immediately if they held a sword.
In any case, it was not a combination that would make him nervous at all in the eyes of Duke Hei, who had the highest body type and ability. Moobin's gaze, which was not relaxed and even sluggish, turned to Lantana for the last time.
'Is the guide a maid?'
The maids serving the royal family are from noble families. Normally, an older wife would have to take care of the princess as a horseman and skilled craftsman, but, depending on circumstances, younger ladies like Lantana often assumed the position of maidservant.
Dressed in a rich, ankle-length apron skirt, Lantana used a familiar skill to spread a teacup in front of the guests and pour water.
Then, along with the cold air, water dripped down around the teacup. It was cold tea, not hot tea.
"It is a cold tea that clears the head. Dried flowers are added, so wait until the fragrance spreads before eating."
"...doesn't the transaction vouchers to be retrieved?"
The silver coins specially ordered by the princess were more expensive than real money. A high-quality silver coin, which delicately revives even the folds of the petals with the skill of the craftsman, was left in Estio's palm.
Lantana put the teapot aside and gave him a wink.
"Fufu, that's a gift."
Estio, unable to say that he did not need it in favor of a kindness mixed with aegyo, reluctantly took back the silver coin with the flower pattern in his pocket.
Lantana pointed to the car with a graceful hand.
"Try it now. The blossoms have a sweet scent like peppermint candy, so your morning drowsiness will blow away."
Soon, flowers were floating in the teacup. Red and thick petals like a ripe apple dyed the glass red.
"Hyah, the scent is really strong, Kek."
Parker, who was still a bit sleepy, drank the iced tea and snorted as he regained his senses.
"How are you? Are you awake?"
Lantana gave the car a playful growl.
Estio also took a sip of tea as a courtesy. A strong floral scent resembling that of peppermint wafted through my mouth. Lantana looked at him putting down the teacup and her eyes widened.
"Oh, aren't you surprised by that? People who try it for the first time find it difficult. Have you ever tried it?"
"I know candy that tastes similar."
Estio responded indifferently. No matter how unusual the taste of tea, it was not comparable to the wave-flavored candy experienced at the Galatia branch.
But Lantana clenched her fists and shouted.
"Wave Flavored Candy!"
Lantana moved her face closer to Estio, who was startled by the unexpectedly violent reaction.
"Is that right? It tastes like Delphia specialty waves?"
"......Yes."
"Kyaak! It's hard to find someone you know because it's a candy that only maniacs prefer! How can we meet like this. It's really nice to meet you."
She grabbed Estio's hand and shook it. It was like she had met a compatriot in a foreign land. Mubin, who saw the burdensome Estio, sneaked in and paid attention to her.
"So, lady, what's the point?"
"Aww, look at my mind."
Lantana hastily let go of her hand. She then adjusted her posture and she formally greeted her again.
"As I said before, my name is Lantana. Since the First Princess Marisa can only walk outside the palace externally, I requested a request from the Ignis Guild instead of the Princess according to Her Majesty's wishes."
"This is Estio from the Ignis Guild."
"Thank you for coming."
Since each representative greeted each other, there was no need to introduce the rest. Lantana immediately delivered the contents of the quest.
"I heard that the new guild leader of Ignis has the ability to read minds."
Estio affirmed that he did not avoid her gaze. Lantana smiled brightly.
"We need that power."
"Tell me the exact contents of your request."
"Please read the truth of the three people."
The content of the order was concise.
"The princess will visit each of the three people and ask them the same question. At that time, the leader will follow along, listen to their answers, and determine whether it is true or false. It's simple, isn't it?"
But Estio did not easily nod his head.
"What happens to them after the determination?"
"Well. If I told the truth, wouldn't I be treated fairly?"
"What if it's false?"
Lantana twisted her green hair with her fingers.
"Of course, anyone who has told a lie in front of the royal family."
A voice filled with laughter followed.
"It's true."
The red blossoms floating on the tea sank to the bottom one by one.
Hearing this, Mubin hardened his impression. Finally, the thing I was afraid of has come. The First Princess was trying to use him as a political tool.
Mubin smirked with his arms crossed.
'Unlike the timid emperor, she is a tomboy princess with strong action.
Although they were silent as if they were unrelated, Princess Marisa was like a niece to Mubin's point of view.
According to the rumors, she was well-received for being a Justice Party princess who couldn't stand injustice. However, Mubin also knew that her rumors about her royal family were not very reliable. There is no way to ascertain whether the princess is really a good person, or whether she only emphasizes and spreads such an image without seeing it in person.
Even Emperor Lubarzan, who is praised as a saint, was nothing more than a brutal murderer to Mubin.
At that moment, Estio's voice broke through Moobin's thoughts.
"I accept the request."
'Yes?'
Moobin doubted his ears for a moment.
Of course, he accepted the request he thought he would reject. Moobin, who lost her sense of reality, was surprised at the first response from the other side while wondering if the word 'acceptance' might have a different meaning behind it.
"I thought you'd be a little hesitant, but it's surprising. How can people be fearless?"
"Should I be scared?"
"Oh dear, I told you that everyone who told a lie a while ago was the true sentence. This includes you."
Lantana grinned as she placed her hands on her knees.
"If you tell a lie, even at least, it won't end enough to cut off your head."
Contrary to his warm expression, the meaning contained in it was as cold as frost.
"This is a transaction between the guild and the imperial family."
Lantana lowered her voice and asked again in a whisper.
"Ignis guild leader, choose carefully. Are you confident that you can complete this quest without going against the will of the princess?"
"Before that, let me ask you one thing."
It was almost like a threat. However, Estio was not swayed by the intimidating horse and struck it straight away.
"Are you Lantana?"
"Yes? That's right, my name is Lantana......"
"or not."
Lantana tilted her head, but Estio was not deceived by her innocent expression.
"Are you saying all these things as a princess?"
Tuk!
The teacup slipped from someone's hand, spilling water. Parker, who spilled his tea in panic, hastily set his glass upright.
"Uh, huh? My hands are slippery. My hands are slippery. I'm sorry. I'll take care of it!"
Instead of cleaning it up, the spilled tea dripped onto the floor, soaking the tablecloths, but Lantana didn't pay attention to it. She didn't care that the tablecloth was wet, only her eyes widened.
"Oh my God, even my father doesn't know that I am a flower shop..."
It is a secret that has not been revealed to anyone except for the exclusive knights who have been wearing it since childhood. Of course, with the status of each first princess, it wasn't that she was raising flowers without doing anything really. This place was a kind of training institution disguised as a flower shop. which she runs secretly without even telling her father, the emperor.
"As expected! You just read my mind, right?"
Lantana looked very excited.
81
4 Estio
- Episode 5
"I don't feel bad for the rest of the imperial family. The 'Marisa' we're meeting today? He probably doesn't even know my face."
The strongest sword held by the Emperor is the Heiga Duke. Still, the other royal families rarely encountered Mubin because they were sent to a distant territory without being close to them. Moobin laughed and talked about it like a joke, but since it wasn't something to laugh at, no one laughed.
"This is it."
The meeting point indicated on the map was an ordinary flower shop.
When the door opened with a rattling noise, the shopkeeper greeted them with a yellow freesia in their arms.
"Welcome! This is Lantana from <Always Green Hill>. What kind of flower did you come to find?"
Always Green Hill was the name of a flower shop. A green-haired woman, who introduced herself as 'Lantana', approached her with a beautiful bouquet of flowers in her arms. Her concave, concave face, full of her smile, was as fresh as the bouquet of flowers she was holding.
Besides her, there were several other male workers carrying heavy manure and piles of dirt and several female workers watering flowers. As a store located in the imperial capital, it was quite large for a store that only sold flowers.
Estio recited as it was written in the request.
"I came to see the crystal flower."
"Oh my goodness."
Estio got the feeling that the other person's eyes were shining. Lantana smiled and asked again as she neatly placed the freesia she was holding in the vase.
"Crystal flowers only bloom on rainy days. Will you come back on a rainy day, sir?"
"Please guide me to the hill where flowers bloom."
"Did you bring the invitation?"
Estio took a small coin from his pocket and handed it to Lantana. At first glance, it looked like a silver coin used in the Empire, but if you look closely, it was a special plaque with colorful flowers engraved on it.
That was the proof of the transaction that Princess Marisa put in the request form.
"Sit here and wait a minute."
Lantana, who looked at each and every detail of Estio's hand out card, guided them inside without questioning any further. Inside the shop, there was a set of tea tables waiting for you to enjoy refreshments while looking at the flowers.
Lantana, who had Estio and his party seated, ran and locked the door. Her staff rushed in to her aid, closing her windows and carefully pulling down her curtains to block the gaze of her outsiders.
It was unusual for him to move in unison.
'They're all knights.'
Moobin noticed without difficulty that the entire store was made up of people planted by the first princess. Male and female, all were well-trained knights.
Moobin thought that the client paid special attention to security as she was a princess. The flower shop staff had a lot of grass and fire marks on their hands when they were carrying the soil, but they were talented people who could spit out swords immediately if they held a sword.
In any case, it was not a combination that would make him nervous at all in the eyes of Duke Hei, who had the highest body type and ability. Moobin's gaze, which was not relaxed and even sluggish, turned to Lantana for the last time.
'Is the guide a maid?'
The maids serving the royal family are from noble families. Normally, an older wife would have to take care of the princess as a horseman and skilled craftsman, but, depending on circumstances, younger ladies like Lantana often assumed the position of maidservant.
Dressed in a rich, ankle-length apron skirt, Lantana used a familiar skill to spread a teacup in front of the guests and pour water.
Then, along with the cold air, water dripped down around the teacup. It was cold tea, not hot tea.
"It is a cold tea that clears the head. Dried flowers are added, so wait until the fragrance spreads before eating."
"...doesn't the transaction vouchers to be retrieved?"
The silver coins specially ordered by the princess were more expensive than real money. A high-quality silver coin, which delicately revives even the folds of the petals with the skill of the craftsman, was left in Estio's palm.
Lantana put the teapot aside and gave him a wink.
"Fufu, that's a gift."
Estio, unable to say that he did not need it in favor of a kindness mixed with aegyo, reluctantly took back the silver coin with the flower pattern in his pocket.
Lantana pointed to the car with a graceful hand.
"Try it now. The blossoms have a sweet scent like peppermint candy, so your morning drowsiness will blow away."
Soon, flowers were floating in the teacup. Red and thick petals like a ripe apple dyed the glass red.
"Hyah, the scent is really strong, Kek."
Parker, who was still a bit sleepy, drank the iced tea and snorted as he regained his senses.
"How are you? Are you awake?"
Lantana gave the car a playful growl.
Estio also took a sip of tea as a courtesy. A strong floral scent resembling that of peppermint wafted through my mouth. Lantana looked at him putting down the teacup and her eyes widened.
"Oh, aren't you surprised by that? People who try it for the first time find it difficult. Have you ever tried it?"
"I know candy that tastes similar."
Estio responded indifferently. No matter how unusual the taste of tea, it was not comparable to the wave-flavored candy experienced at the Galatia branch.
But Lantana clenched her fists and shouted.
"Wave Flavored Candy!"
Lantana moved her face closer to Estio, who was startled by the unexpectedly violent reaction.
"Is that right? It tastes like Delphia specialty waves?"
"......Yes."
"Kyaak! It's hard to find someone you know because it's a candy that only maniacs prefer! How can we meet like this. It's really nice to meet you."
She grabbed Estio's hand and shook it. It was like she had met a compatriot in a foreign land. Mubin, who saw the burdensome Estio, sneaked in and paid attention to her.
"So, lady, what's the point?"
"Aww, look at my mind."
Lantana hastily let go of her hand. She then adjusted her posture and she formally greeted her again.
"As I said before, my name is Lantana. Since the First Princess Marisa can only walk outside the palace externally, I requested a request from the Ignis Guild instead of the Princess according to Her Majesty's wishes."
"This is Estio from the Ignis Guild."
"Thank you for coming."
Since each representative greeted each other, there was no need to introduce the rest. Lantana immediately delivered the contents of the quest.
"I heard that the new guild leader of Ignis has the ability to read minds."
Estio affirmed that he did not avoid her gaze. Lantana smiled brightly.
"We need that power."
"Tell me the exact contents of your request."
"Please read the truth of the three people."
The content of the order was concise.
"The princess will visit each of the three people and ask them the same question. At that time, the leader will follow along, listen to their answers, and determine whether it is true or false. It's simple, isn't it?"
But Estio did not easily nod his head.
"What happens to them after the determination?"
"Well. If I told the truth, wouldn't I be treated fairly?"
"What if it's false?"
Lantana twisted her green hair with her fingers.
"Of course, anyone who has told a lie in front of the royal family."
A voice filled with laughter followed.
"It's true."
The red blossoms floating on the tea sank to the bottom one by one.
Hearing this, Mubin hardened his impression. Finally, the thing I was afraid of has come. The First Princess was trying to use him as a political tool.
Mubin smirked with his arms crossed.
'Unlike the timid emperor, she is a tomboy princess with strong action.
Although they were silent as if they were unrelated, Princess Marisa was like a niece to Mubin's point of view.
According to the rumors, she was well-received for being a Justice Party princess who couldn't stand injustice. However, Mubin also knew that her rumors about her royal family were not very reliable. There is no way to ascertain whether the princess is really a good person, or whether she only emphasizes and spreads such an image without seeing it in person.
Even Emperor Lubarzan, who is praised as a saint, was nothing more than a brutal murderer to Mubin.
At that moment, Estio's voice broke through Moobin's thoughts.
"I accept the request."
'Yes?'
Moobin doubted his ears for a moment.
Of course, he accepted the request he thought he would reject. Moobin, who lost her sense of reality, was surprised at the first response from the other side while wondering if the word 'acceptance' might have a different meaning behind it.
"I thought you'd be a little hesitant, but it's surprising. How can people be fearless?"
"Should I be scared?"
"Oh dear, I told you that everyone who told a lie a while ago was the true sentence. This includes you."
Lantana grinned as she placed her hands on her knees.
"If you tell a lie, even at least, it won't end enough to cut off your head."
Contrary to his warm expression, the meaning contained in it was as cold as frost.
"This is a transaction between the guild and the imperial family."
Lantana lowered her voice and asked again in a whisper.
"Ignis guild leader, choose carefully. Are you confident that you can complete this quest without going against the will of the princess?"
"Before that, let me ask you one thing."
It was almost like a threat. However, Estio was not swayed by the intimidating horse and struck it straight away.
"Are you Lantana?"
"Yes? That's right, my name is Lantana......"
"or not."
Lantana tilted her head, but Estio was not deceived by her innocent expression.
"Are you saying all these things as a princess?"
Tuk!
The teacup slipped from someone's hand, spilling water. Parker, who spilled his tea in panic, hastily set his glass upright.
"Uh, huh? My hands are slippery. My hands are slippery. I'm sorry. I'll take care of it!"
Instead of cleaning it up, the spilled tea dripped onto the floor, soaking the tablecloths, but Lantana didn't pay attention to it. She didn't care that the tablecloth was wet, only her eyes widened.
"Oh my God, even my father doesn't know that I am a flower shop..."
It is a secret that has not been revealed to anyone except for the exclusive knights who have been wearing it since childhood. Of course, with the status of each first princess, it wasn't that she was raising flowers without doing anything really. This place was a kind of training institution disguised as a flower shop. which she runs secretly without even telling her father, the emperor.
"As expected! You just read my mind, right?"
Lantana looked very excited.
