“Eliza, lift your head.”
“B-but…”
Margaret told Eliza, who was prostrating herself in a dogeza position, to lift her head. However, Eliza, aware of their difference in status, hesitated to do so.
“Well, if you feel resistant to facing me directly, how about this?”
Margaret made a proposal to Eliza.
“So, why are we sitting like this?”
Eliza followed Margaret’s proposal, but Kent was unsure how to react to it.
“Hmm, Kent, you have flowers in both hands.”
Margaret, Kent, and Eliza were sitting on the same sofa, close together. Kent found himself enjoying the pleasant scents and softness of the women on either side of him, but he was struggling with how to act, as it was deviating from the original purpose.
“Mr. Kent, excuse me. Is it too cramped?”
“No, not at all. I was just a little flustered because Eliza is so close.”
“Oh, this old lady… no, you’re supposed to be 17 here, aren’t you?”
“Ah, that setting is still in effect?”
Sitting three people on the same sofa was a bit cramped, so Eliza asked Kent with concern.
“Huh? What? What? Eliza, you’re 17?”
“My actual age is different, but all the female employees here are supposed to be 17.”
“Is that so? Then I’ll follow suit. Margaret is 17. *Giggle*.”
Margaret turned to Kent and Eliza and said with a beaming smile.
“W-well, say something, won’t you?”
“Hmm, I’ll join in too. Hanako is 17.”
“You two…”
Kent’s lack of reaction made Margaret say in displeasure. For some reason, Hanako also felt competitive and declared herself to be 17. Kent could only watch in astonishment.
“Ah, that’s right. According to the shop’s system, we need to order drinks. What shall we do?”
Eliza seemed troubled, judging that there were no drinks that would suit the Queen’s palate here.
“Eliza, don’t worry about it. Hmm, Kent, how about a Blue Dragon for you too? And what about you, Lady Hanako?”
“Hmm, I’ll have the best one.”
“All three of you will have blues. Got it. Staff~”
While the cost of drinks was included in the price of admission at this establishment, there were also separate, paid drinks available. These paid drinks were served by the bottle and came in varying prices from highest to lowest: Blue, Green, Black, and Red. Margaret chose the most expensive one among them. Eliza, who had taken their order, called over a male floor staff member to place the order.
“Here are your drinks. Thank you.”
“Thank you. I’ll take it from here.”
After the male clerk brought the ordered items, Eliza took over, opened the bottles, poured them into their respective glasses, and arranged them on the table.
“Here you go, Blue Dragon.”
“Thank you. Since we’re all here, let’s have a toast.”
Once Eliza had finished serving, Margaret suggested a toast.
“Alright, everyone, raise your glasses. To a good encounter.”
“Cheers.”
“Hmm, cheers.”
The four of them clinked glasses and toasted, then each took a sip of their drinks. Kent, Margaret, and Hanako drank the drinks they had ordered, while Eliza drank a different beverage that was included in the admission price.
“Let me reintroduce myself. I am Margaret, Gordon’s mother.”
“Um, I’m Eliza. Patty’s mother.”
“Hmm, I’m Hanako.”
“Huh? Do I have to introduce myself too?”
The three of them introduced themselves again, but Kent was the only one who hadn’t. Noticing all three pairs of eyes on him, he wondered if it was really necessary to introduce himself now.
“Uh, um, I’m Kent.”
Unable to withstand the pressure from the three of them, Kent reluctantly introduced himself.
“Eliza, you came to see me incognito today, so you don’t need to be so stiff. Besides, we’re going to be relatives soon, aren’t we? Let’s talk more casually.”
“Understood.”
Margaret encouraged Eliza to speak more freely.
“And then, Gordon was such a…”
“Is that so?”
“Speaking of which, my daughter…”
“Hmm. So that happened too.”
As they’d had some drinks, Margaret and Eliza were merrily chatting about their children. Kent, seated between them, felt extremely uncomfortable.
“Ah, I’m starting to get hot.”
“M-Margaret!”
“I’m just taking off my outer layer. Did you think I was going to take off everything?”
Margaret removed her outer garment and placed it on a spare stool next to her. Noticing Kent’s gaze, Margaret leaned towards him playfully.
“Ah, the bottles are empty. What should we do?”
Several empty Blue Dragon bottles were already scattered on the table. Eliza, worried as this would amount to a considerable sum, asked.
“Of course, we’re ordering more! Kent, Lady Hanako, you’re not done drinking, are you? Eliza, don’t hold back, drink up!”
“Y-yes, understood. I’ll place the order then.”
Margaret ordered another bottle.
“You don’t have to work here anymore, Eliza, so why do you continue?”
“Well, my debt is paid off, so I no longer need to work here. But the manager pleaded with me to stay, and I couldn’t refuse. I used to work here out of necessity for money, but now I enjoy talking with various people, and I think it’s a fun job.”
Kent had heard from Patty that Eliza’s original reason for working here was to repay her debt, and that all her debts had been paid off. Therefore, she no longer needed to work, but she was still here. This piqued Kent’s curiosity, and he asked Eliza.
“However, it might not look good from the outside for the mother of a princess to be working in a place like this. I’m starting to think it might be time to step down.”
Eliza said with a somber expression.
“If it’s a job you enjoy, I think it’s fine to continue.”
“Huh?”
Margaret, who had overheard their conversation, said to Eliza.
“Of course, as the mother of the Princess, you will need to participate in official events. However, beyond that, I don’t intend to interfere. And while I’m sure the country provides you with enough financial support that you don’t need to work, I think it’s admirable that you are willing to work rather than simply living off that support.”
“Thank you. I’ll take you up on your offer and continue working here a little longer.”
Eliza’s face brightened at Margaret’s words.
“By the way, what is your relationship with Mr. Kent? I hesitated to ask, but I was curious because you seem so close.”
Now that they had become somewhat more familiar with each other, Eliza asked Margaret what she had been wondering about.
“Well, Kent is not only a lifesaver to my son, but he is also a very important person to our country. Well, that’s the official story, but I feel at ease when I’m with Kent. Don’t you feel it too, Eliza? Here, try hugging him.”
“Whoa, Margaret!”
Margaret said, then hugged Kent and pressed her chest against him.
“Then, excuse me. *Hya*!”
“Huh? Eliza, what are you doing?”
Eliza, on Margaret’s other side, also hugged Kent. Though her chest was somewhat modest, her thin clothing allowed her touch to transfer directly to Kent.
“Warm and soft.”
“Now that you mention it, it is quite calming. It feels nice, like being enveloped by something large.”
Eliza said to Kent, her face blushing.
“Hanako, do something!”
“Hmm, I refuse. Kent is feeling very good right now. I’ve determined there’s no need for me to intervene.”
“Kent!”
“Mr. Kent!”
He appealed to Hanako, who was drinking on the opposite side of the table, for help, but she flatly refused. For a while, Kent could only endure the embraces of Margaret and Eliza, who were in a jovial mood after drinking.
