Chapter 170: Departing for the Restaurant
Chapter 170: Departing for the Restaurant
Still, the Queen was clearly treated differently. She was probably having them tailored each time. Was this what they called haute couture?"Before we depart, please have your morning cup."
I said, and respectfully offered the glass containing the first morning extraction. The Queen smiled, accepted the glass, and gulped it down in one go — Guui! Knowing it had just come out made my face flush a little. I still wanted her to drink it directly.
"Will today be the last time I can drink this? Thinking that makes me feel lonely."
The Queen gazed at the glass and spoke with deep feeling.
"Today’s restaurant visit is my final duty in this kingdom."
At my reply, the Queen made a slightly regretful face, but said,
"Yes. It can’t be helped. If it rains tomorrow, departure will be postponed, though. Well then, shall we go?"
While saying that, the Queen led the way out of the room. The three presence-less maids also began walking. Today, instead of the Queen’s usual maids, these three would accompany us. That was far better than the usual lively, noisy ones.
At the entrance of the Rear Palace, a carriage for the Queen was waiting. Today we planned to use the carriage as far as the gate on the border with the Commoner District, so standing out was not a problem. The carriage had windows, but they were smoked so that the interior could not be seen. Was this glass processing, or was some magic applied? I didn’t know that magic-mirror cars existed in this world!
When the Queen boarded the carriage,
"Robin-sama, please come. The maids are commoners, so they will not ride in the carriage with us. They will sit on the driver’s seat."
She invited me, so I boarded.
What? Was such a thing allowed!! Was I going to be alone with the Queen?
The maids, perhaps having been told in advance, said nothing and climbed onto the driver’s seat. No one objected to me entering the passenger compartment. Perhaps someone was hiding inside the compartment? The walls had ears and the doors had eyes, and I was fairly certain there was a small window for giving orders to the driver from inside the compartment. Therefore, even if the Queen and I were alone, everything happening inside would leak outside.
Regardless of my rising feelings, the people around the carriage seemed more tense than usual. It hadn’t been this bad before. Was there something special about this time? Because it was the last time? After all, even the maids were different.