3. Hunting System
The next morning, as soon as she happily finished her meal, Priscilla had to hear something that hit her like thunder from Rien.
“Rien, say it again. Where am I going?”
“The hunting festival. His Majesty says Lady Priscilla should also attend.”
“Why me?”
“Isn’t it because His Majesty cares about Lady Priscilla? Look at this. He gave you a hunting suit to wear.”
The Emperor cared about her?
‘That Emperor?’
No way.
Because if the Emperor cared about her, he wouldn’t have thrown her as a target.
There must be something else going on.
“A hunting festival…”
She didn’t want to go.
The hunting festival was an event attended by only a few aristocrats from powerful families and princesses from the Concubine Palace.
Naturally, the princesses from the Concubine Palace who attended were princesses with a strong background.
First there would be Jestina and several others.
Their countries were not countries that Michael conquered.
These were the princesses that Michael requested and brought to the kingdom.
So their background was still alive.
She couldn’t believe she should attend a gathering with such powerful people.
They’d probably laugh at her as soon as she got there.
They’ll give ger all kinds of trouble, saying that this wasn’t her place to come.
“Why would I go to a place like that?”
Moreover, the hunting festival was not an important part of the novel.
It’s just a scene to praise the Emperor.
It was a device to show how great and enormous the Emperor was
‘Going there, I’d be crazy.’
Priscilla pushed away the clothes Rien had brought.
“Put it away, I don’t want to see it.”
“But why don’t you take a look at it..”
“I won’t look.”
At Priscilla’s determination, Rien was forced to remove the clothes.
“It would be nice if you looked at it.”
“What about Heidi?”
“As you said, I took her for a walk and put her in the bedroom.”
“Really? I have to go.”
Priscilla got off the bed and headed to the bedroom Heidi was in.
Then Heidi ran over as soon as she saw Priscilla.
“HEIDI!”
Heidi fell into Priscilla’s arms.
Priscilla laughed and scratched Heidi’s fur.
“How was your walk?””
Meow!
Heidi bent her eyes into a half-moon shape.
“You must have had fun.”
Meow! Meow!
“Do you know how nervous I was?”
If the Emperor finds out that she has a cat inside the Concubine Palace, the cat would die immediately.
Of course, the person who raised the cat was not safe.
Priscilla tapped Rien on the shoulder.
“I’m sorry, Rien. I shouldn’t have caused you trouble.”
“It’s hard work. I was afraid I would get caught, I’m nervous, but Heidi is cute.”
“Thank you.”
“Don’t mention it.”
Priscilla was reassured to have Rien around.
Being on her side in the vast Imperial Palace was really reassuring.
~~~~~
There was a breaking sound in the Emperor’s palace office.
It was a man who broke.
“P, Pardon me. Your Majesty.”
“If you can’t handle this one thing properly, you are incompetent. Can you still say that you are my servant?”
He begged Michael even though he had a nosebleed on his face.
Life was more important than nosebleeds now.
“Get out now, it’s your last chance. If you don’t handle it properly this time, you’ll have to put your neck out.”
“I,I will keep that in mind.”
The aristocrat rushed out of the office.
Then there was a moment of silence in the office.
Michael swept up his bangs.
Alfred, the attendant, approached quietly and asked.
“Did something upset you?”
“An unpleasant thing? There’s nothing like that, it’s just that I’m annoyed that a stupid guy can’t handle things.”
“I don’t think that’s the only thing.”
“Or what else?”
“Did Priscilla like the present that you brought?”
“She freaked out as I expected.”
“Why did you take such a gift if you expected it?”
“I was curious about her expression.”
Alfred looked at Michael with an expression that said he heard all kinds of strange things.
“…So were you satisfied?”
Michael pursed his lips.
Actually, it was mean.
He felt so bad for a woman who didn’t lose a word against him.
As expected, she freaked out.
It was a satisfactory look, and it was pleasant.
But strangely, he didn’t like something.
He didn’t know what it was.
So it drove him crazy, and he was annoyed. And the irritation was directed at them.
To the aristocrat who just came in.
Michael mumbled, resting his chin on his hand.
“I don’t like it.”
Alfred did not miss the murmur.
“What don’t you like?”
“Whatever, you have brillant ears.”
“That’s rather a minor complaint after all the time I’ve spent at Your Majesty’s side.”
Michael narrowed his brows as if annoyed and changed the topic.
“How are the preparations for the hunt going?”
“It’s ready.”
“Then, all we have to do is start?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Michael thought of something for a moment and smiled and said.
“Alfred, prepare one more thing.”
“Tell me.”
“Prepare my own carriage, and I will ride with Priscilla.”
Alfred’s eyes widened.
“Are you saying you’re going to ride in a carriage and not on a horse? With Lady Priscilla?”
“Why are you so surprised?”
“Isn’t it natural to be surprised? You’ve never been in a carriage with a woman.”
“Is that such a surprise?”
“Not only me. Other people will be surprised to hear it.”
“You’re surprised at everything.”
Alfred narrowed his eyes.
“Why are you suddenly going to ride in a carriage with Lady Priscilla?”
“Because my heart wants it. And another thing.”
“Is there anything else?”
Michael grinned and said.
“I’ll have my direct escort knights escort the carriage.”
“Yes? Are you serious?”
“Are you surprised?”
“So, you aren’t surprised?”
The Emperor’s direct escort knights escorted only the Emperor.
But to put Priscilla in there.
“Your Majesty, that seems a little too much.”
“Too much?”
“It doesn’t matter if Your Majesty is alone in the carriage, but Lady Priscilla is also in it, isn’t she.”
“So what?”
“Lady Priscilla will also be escorted by the escort knights.”
“Yes.”
“There’s going to be a lot of talk.”
Michael smiled heavily.
“That’s what I hope.”
In Michael’s reply Alfred noticed his intentions.
“You want the word to come out.”
“Exactly. I’m going to let many people know that I care for her.”
“Why are you even doing that?”
“Of course it’s because of the Bugatti kingdom.”
“Are you using Lady Priscilla to provoke Lady Jestina?”
“That’s right.”
Alfred sighed.
“You may regret it greatly later.”
Michael snorted at the words.
“No way.”
It would never happen.
~~~~
Priscilla came back from a walk with Heidi and read a book.
It was the botanical encyclopedia I had seen last time.
She read most of the plant encyclopedias, and now she was reading the last volume.
Priscilla had been reading books whenever she had time.
It was safe to say that most of the plant encyclopedias in the Imperial Palace Library were looked through.
With that determination to drink coffee.
Priscilla felt the burning fighting spirit.
“If it’s not here either, I have no choice but to give up.”
If she didn’t have it in the last book, she’ll never taste coffee in this world.
Priscilla read the book eagerly, turning each page.
And finally.
She saw it.
“Oh, there is.”
Priscilla stared at the picture in the book.
“It’s a coffee tree. There really is!”
The picture and description in the book were definitely coffee trees.
“It grows in tropical forests and is sometimes called coffee cherries, measuring 6 to 8 meters in size.”
Priscilla looked at the area where coffee trees grew.
“Growing up in the southernmost tropics of the continent?”
Priscilla opened the map at the head of the book.
“If this is the Frances Empire, the area where coffee trees grow is…”
Priscilla clasped her head.
“A region at the other end of the Empire is too far away!”
Priscilla eventually closed the book.
“It was all in vain.”
When can she go that far?
Even if she was free to go, the cost of travel would be enormous.
“Let’s give up. Coffee is such a luxury.”
Priscilla rubbed her eyes with her hands from reading the book.
“It only hurts my eyes.”
Priscilla rose from her seat and left the study.
Then she ran into Rien, who was carrying a snack.
“Have you read all the books?”
“Oh, but I shouldn’t have seen it.”
“Why?”
“It’s too far. It’s on the edge of the continent.”
“What’s wrong with that. You don’t have to go there yourself.”
Priscilla tried to tell her that she had been looking for it herself, but she shut her mouth.
“What’s that?”
“I prepared some snacks because I thought you’d be hungry.”
“Really? Good for you. Let’s eat outside.”
“Are you going to the gazebo?”
“Yes, the snack eaten there are the best.”
Priscilla and Rien headed for the gazebo on the pond.
The snacks Rien brought were pies and black tea baked with walnuts.
Priscilla enjoyed a break at the gazebo, looking out at the garden’s pavilions.
However, Alfred, the chamberlain, interrupted Priscilla’s rest.
