“Just kidding! It was only a joke.”
After putting her lingerie on full display to ensure Rest was sufficiently stunned, Celestine gave him a mischievous smile.
In short, the whole thing had been a prank. The reason the two maids had been so uncharacteristically forceful in ushering him deep into the mansion was specifically to manufacture a "changing scene" for his benefit.
“I mean… I already saw you, didn't I? A joke doesn't really cover it at that point, does it?” Rest managed to squeeze out those words while pinching the bridge of his nose to keep himself together.
I’m just glad I didn't see this right after eating that Dragon Liver… My nose would have been a literal geyser.
“Why would you pull a prank like that? It doesn't seem like you at all.”
Actually, he reconsidered. That might not be entirely true. Celestine had once barged in on him while he was taking a bath. Despite being a high-born lady—or perhaps specifically because of it—she possessed a strangely bold side.
“You are to be my husband eventually. I see no harm in you seeing me in my undergarments,” Celestine declared with total composure, devoid of even a hint of embarrassment. “Besides, I simply felt like being a little bit mean. You haven't come to visit me at all lately, Rest.”
“Visit you? But I’ve been…”
“The time you spend with Viola, Primula, and Yuri is significantly longer than the time you spend with me, is it not? I simply felt like getting a little bit of revenge.”
“That’s…”
He couldn't really argue. He lived with the Rosemary sisters, and Yuri was essentially a squatter living under his roof. Since Rest was primarily focused on territorial development while Celestine operated out of the Royal Capital, it was only natural that they rarely saw one another.
“Of course, I understand your circumstances, Rest. However, as a fiancé, are there not other things you could do? Sending letters or gifts, for instance?”
“Ugh…”
“Oh, I’m not making a formal demand. I am well aware that you are still adjusting to the life and manners of the nobility. This was just a bit of fun.”
“…I’m sorry.”
Rest slumped his shoulders in apology. Celestine didn't actually look angry; if anything, the prank was a sign that she understood exactly why he was so busy. Considering she was willing to overlook his lack of formal etiquette for the price of a little teasing, he supposed he should consider her as generous as a Bodhisattva.
“Now then, let us leave the joking aside and move on to the main topic.”
Now dressed in an elegant purple dress, Celestine sat in a chair with practiced grace and tilted her slender neck. With a simple glance, she invited him to take the seat opposite her. As soon as Rest sat down, a maid appeared to set out teacups and a plate of sweets.
“First, allow me to offer my thanks. I am truly grateful for the rare gift of Wyvern meat you sent.”
“…You’re welcome.”
“It was caught in the Southern Mountain Range, was it not? To go all that way at this time of year… are you perhaps planning to hold a party for Count Clover House?”
“Spot on. That’s exactly it.”
“Ah, as I thought. You went hunting for a Wyvern to serve as the main dish. Dragon meat is a symbol of ‘longevity,’ and flying monsters represent ‘leaping forward’—both auspicious signs for the prosperity of a clan. It is the perfect choice for a noble house’s celebration. Which means the reason you came to our estate is related to that… Did you perhaps come to ask for advice regarding alcohol?”
Rest sat in stunned silence. She had hit the center of the target with surgical precision. Having his objective guessed before he could even open his mouth left him at a loss for words.
“Judging by your face, I take it I was correct.”
“Yeah… a perfect hundred out of a hundred. I’ve got nothing to add.”
“I am glad to hear it. I would have been quite embarrassed if I had been wide of the mark.”
Watching Rest’s look of surprise, Celestine laughed pleasantly. He felt as though the prank might still be ongoing; she had him completely trapped in her pace.
“Well, since you already know, that makes this quick. Do you know of any spirits that would be suitable for the party?”
“To tell you the truth, I actually had something I wanted to report to you, Rest. About alcohol, as it happens.”
Maintaining her serene expression, Celestine picked up her teacup and pressed it to her lips. After taking a sip with picture-perfect elegance, she set the cup back down without making a sound.
“Shoko Sanada… The production of the distilled spirit Her Majesty the Queen Dowager was overseeing in the fishing village has finally reached a milestone. We have succeeded in developing a new kind of liquor, and I was intending to invite you for a tasting.”
“A new kind of liquor? From that village?”
It was the village where the Queen Dowager had spent her final years. Using her private funds and the alias Shoko Sanada, she had established a distillery for distilled spirits there. It was supposed to have been a work in progress, far from being a finished product, but it seemed that after Rest took ownership of the village and left the management to Celestine, the project had finally reached fruition.
“Since it is a new variety of spirit, I believe it would be the perfect choice to mark the beginning of the newly-risen Count Clover House. If you are willing, would you like to visit the village with me?”
It was a perfect proposal at the perfect time. Without a moment's hesitation, Rest accepted.