I didn't even have time to ...... change my clothes.

"Dee?　I think the king is on his way to the palace.
"Master Diana!　I'm not sure if this is a good idea or not.

Even though it was a coincidence, the news came in almost simultaneously.
Almost reflexively, Diana sat up.

"What is Master Shayla's position?
"In a corridor near the outer gates, I'm told. ......
"Isn't ...... bad?
I'm on my way. Who's waiting for us now?
"It's Yuri, ......," said Diana, "in that dress!

There were no plans to go out or have visitors this morning, so Deanna wore a worn indoor dress. It wasn't something she was going to show anyone, so it was simple, functional, and in short, not very s*xy.

I wouldn't go so far as to call it formal wear, but at least a dress for going out.
You're wasting your time. It would take a long time just to run to the outer gate.

While saying this, I combed my hair and made myself look presentable. I walked through the main room and opened the door to the antechamber.

"Master Diana?　What are you doing here?
It's an emergency. Yuri, you're coming with me.
"Master Diana!

The sound of two maidens hurriedly chasing after Deanna echoed in the distance. I rushed to the scene as quickly as I could.

"Your Majesty!

Before you can even think about it, Deanna is shouting in a loud voice that she rarely lets out.

Sophia and her friends froze, their faces blue.
Shayla held her cheeks and looked down.
The king of this country, who protects Shayla with his back to her, confronts Sophia and her friends with an angry look in his eyes.

The word "obvious" could not be more appropriate for this scene.

If Juke were to let his emotions get the better of him here, there would be no turning back. He would make enemies not only with the conservatives, but also with the new aristocrats and innovators who had been bitterly opposed to the pre-summer palace, and if he was not careful, he might even end up losing the loyalty of the royal family all together.
In a situation where it is difficult to control one's emotions, one must keep one's cool and seek the best course of action. As a politician, this is the line that you must defend to the death.

Don't do something foolish and end this!

Diana unleashed her killing intent, which she had thought useless as long as she was in the palace, straight at the king. The only thing I can think of is to make him stop.
When she saw that he had stopped, she walked briskly to the center of the commotion.

--"Bash!

Without a moment's hesitation, she struck Sophia on the cheek with the fan she had brought with her.
The struck Sophia looked back at Diana with a stunned expression.
With unmistakable anger, but calmly, Diana says to Sophia, "Back off.

"Stand down. Do not leave the room until I give you permission.
"Behold, the Red Rose. ......
"Are you going to make me say this twice?

Sophia and the others turn white. I'm not sure what to make of that. ...... apparently got the message that she was really angry.

"--Madam Red Rose.
"Thank you, Lord Commander Gracie. Please take the girls back to their rooms and monitor them to make sure they don't have any more contact with the outside world than necessary.
Yes, ma'am.

I left Sophia and the others in the custody of Chris and the other palace guards, who seemed to have rushed there after hearing the commotion. I'm not sure what to say, but I'm sure you'll understand.
...... So, there is no need to keep quiet anymore.

"Sheila Callerd.

I'm not sure if this is a good idea or not, but it's a good idea.

I'm sorry for the trouble they've caused you.
"No, no, no. I'm the one who got the Red Rose in trouble. ......
They're my chambermaids in the salon. It is only natural that I should move. ...... There's nothing for you to be concerned about.
"...... No!

You will find a lot of people who are looking for the best way to get the most out of their lives.
In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site.

I don't deserve the Red Rose's mercy. You have helped me so many times without ever thanking me or saying hello.
"It was I who rejected your greeting at ...... as unnecessary.
"And yet. It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for. I can't believe you're helping me out again with .......

In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site.
It's a great way to make sure you're getting the most out of your money.

I'm not sure what to say. No matter what the Red Rose thinks of me. --I adore you, Red Rose.


"......, Shayla-sama.
The debt of gratitude that the Red Rose has bestowed upon me is not as shallow as a single word of thanks can make it out to be. I'm not sure what to do, but I'll do my best to repay your kindness. ...... If you are an eyesore, I will not come before you again.
I will not come before you again if you are an eyesore. ...... There is no way I would consider you an eyesore.

There are still people watching. You can't break the Red Rose here and now.
I'm not sure what to make of it, but I'm sure it's worth it. She has grown too fond of Shayla to be told that she adores her with such unclouded eyes, and yet to throw her away coldly.
If you can, here. If I could, I would hug Shayla with all my heart and say, "I love you too. I've never wanted to be "Dee" as much as I do now.

I've never wanted to be 'Dee' as much as I do now. ...... But Deanna's position is too heavy for her to act as she is right now.

"I have no reason to dislike you, Master Shayla. And while you seem to feel indebted to me, most of it is because I like you, and not because you think you are so noble. I appreciate your words of gratitude, but please don't glorify them too much.
"Dear Red Rose, ......
You'd better get back to your room. --Yuri.

Yuri, who until then had been watching the proceedings from a distance, quietly stepped forward.

I'll take Shayla back to her room. And treat her wounds, if necessary.
"No, my dear Red Rose!　I don't want to cause you any more trouble than I already have.
I'd rather not have you get hurt again.

A few harsh words sealed Shayla's refusal. When I looked at Yuri, she knew everything and gently urged Shayla to go.

"Come on, let's go, Miss Shayla.
"Yes, yes. ....... Um, Red Rose.

Sheila was about to leave, but stopped again, as if lost in thought. It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for and what you can do to help.
I wonder if it's ....... I feel like I'm disciplining an animal. I hope I'm imagining things.

"What is it?

I'm not sure if it's a good idea, but it's a good idea. You'll be able to see through her eyes and into her heart.

I'm not sure what to say.
...... No, it's nothing. Please excuse me.

She bows her head once more and leaves the garden. Before long, the onlookers are out of sight. It was probably Mrs. Magnum's idea, having heard the ...... commotion.
I'm not sure what to make of this.

"...... Why did you stop, Red Rose? I'm sure you're not the only one.
If you really don't understand, I'll get seriously angry.

This is the beginning of the sermon that I've been putting off for so long.
Deanna turned around, looked up at Juke with a smile, and said.

I'm sure you'll be pleased to know that I'm not the only one.



********************

I'm sure you'll be able to understand what I mean.
One, do something about your habit of abandoning your thoughts as soon as you see Shayla.
One, be more aware of the weight of your position and act accordingly.

When they arrived at the Red Rose Room, before serving tea, Deanna scolded Juke without hesitation. She put aside for the moment the fact that she was lower in rank, position, and age than him, and scolded him anyway. She scolded him with all her heart and soul to the extent that Juke, who at first had a look of frustration on his face, found himself shrinking on the sofa.
Incidentally, during the sermon, Alford, who had been looking for Juke, who had suddenly disappeared during the break, came over to me looking very pissed off. However, he calmed down when he saw how calm and angry Deanna was, and eventually appeased her by saying, "Yeah, well, that's about it," but this is always the case.

By the time I had finally settled down, it was already time for lunch. Since she couldn't keep Juke until the afternoon, Deanna hastily arranged a meal for him and, putting manners and etiquette aside for the moment, decided to discuss the future while eating.

"But, Red Rose. I can't leave Shayla like this. ...... No, I don't want to leave her like this.

Thinking and thinking, Juke speaks.

"It's not because of Shayla. No one, for any reason, should be humiliated in such a one-to-many way. If things are out of order, they must be corrected.
It's a good argument, but it's not enough to make the world go round.
If it's ......, should we just throw it away?
No one is saying that, sir. --I just think that it is useless for His Majesty to interfere in the affairs of the palace.

I'm not going to tell you what to do.

What do you mean?
It means exactly what it says. It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're getting yourself into.
"Yes!　It's .......

I guess you don't know. He had ignored the existence of this place itself until Deanna came to the palace.
Deanna gave Juke a cold stare, not acting.



"Just for the record, there are currently nearly fifty concubines living in the palace under the name of His Majesty as His Majesty's wives. As a husband, I would expect you to know at least the names and faces of your wives and their families, wouldn't you?
This is not the place I wanted to be!
This is not where I want to be!" "As long as the palace is run in His Majesty's name, that excuse will not work!

How dare this man say that at this time!

"Even if he didn't want to, even if he was forced to, His Majesty finally approved the establishment of the Inner Palace. Even if you didn't want to, but you were forced to, your majesty finally approved the establishment of the palace. --If His Majesty really wanted the palace to be a mere formality, he should not have stamped the imperial seal on the order to admit a concubine to the palace in the first place!

The entry of a concubine into the palace was only possible with an imperial order from the king. Even though the royal seal is now stamped on the imperial order, which is prepared by the Ministry of the Interior.
At least once, the names and family names of all the members of the entourage should have been placed before the juke.

"Please don't fall asleep. All of the ladies in this room are called 'entourage' because His Majesty wishes them to be. If I did not receive the imperial order stamped with His Majesty's seal, I would not be working on my ill-fitting 'Red Rose business'.
"Oh, I'm .......
If you're going to make any more lame attempts to evade responsibility for the palace, don't come here again. It is unbecoming of Master Shayla to be a gentleman who does not take responsibility for his own actions.
"I'm sorry, Red Rose!

You'll be able to find a lot more than just a few of them. Carrots are too easy to understand, and it's no wonder the Lord is so distressed.
Soothed a little by Alford's behavior, Deanna munched on the meat in front of her, calming her stomach and her mind.

"...... Your Majesty. I've told you before. You can't change the past.

Juke looked fearfully at Deanna, as if he could see that her tone was slackening.

"No matter how hard you try, you can't change the past when you abdicated your responsibility and refused to look after the palace. You can't justify yourself by making excuses and turning a blind eye to that reality, but in the end it's all the same.
"...... Yeah, right.
Yeah. So, why don't you spend your time from now on facing the palace, not with excuses, but with the determination to make up for your laziness in the past?

To be honest, Deanna's untruths were that she needed to do that.
I'm not sure what to say, but I'm going to say it.

This is also the reason why I said I don't want the 'current' king to be involved. I'm sure you'll be able to understand that I'm not the only one who has a problem with this.　If the royal authority is used to silence them, where will their frustration go?
"......, so...

I'm not sure what to make of this.
He nodded broadly and then turned pale.

If ...... I had punished the Countess of Tandor in a fit of rage a moment ago. And if I had punished the Countess of Tandor in a fit of rage just now, that frustration might have been directed at Shayla?
I'm not sure what to make of that. I'm sure you'll agree with me.
That's why you were angry with me for my shallow thinking. ......
"Of course, I was angry with the Countess of Tandor and the others.

It is also true that I thought, "Stop, you fool!
I'm sure you'll be happy to know that I'm not the only one.

"Your Majesty. The matter of Shayla, of course, I do not intend to leave it as it is. I will ask for the help of the palace guards and maids of honor to increase the alert to ensure that no harm is done to Master Shayla. ......, but we would like to wait a little while before we formally punish Countess Tandor and the other members of her entourage who are the main culprits.
May I ask why?
I think it's strange.

It had been a few days since she had spoken directly to Sophia and the others, and with the help of Darkness and Kai, she had been able to find out more about them.
What Deanna felt was an indescribable sense of unease.

I swear to you, until the new year, they have not touched Master Shayla in any way. But suddenly, after the new year, they started harassing Shayla and treating her like an enemy. ...... They seem to think that it is my desire to get rid of Shayla-sama.
You're not thinking about that, are you?
Of course not. In the event that you're in a position where you can't give orders outwardly, you can pretend to be against it.
"...... Well, by the look on your face...

Juke looked at me with pity. The magic of Cresta is that when you should be pitied for your strange assumption, you'll be convinced, "...... Ah, yes.

I'm sure you'll be able to understand my words. What I wonder is how they came to believe that. What is strange is what caused them to believe this. Something must have happened to them to make them believe it so strongly. ...... If we don't uncover it, we will not be able to truly protect Master Shayla.
So you're saying that you're going to take the time to keep her in the dark in order to get to the bottom of this?
Of course, I won't let you touch Shayla any longer.
Yeah, I know. --All right.

I'll leave this matter to you.
I'll leave this matter to you." She said this with words of trust, and Diana was deeply relieved.

"Thank you, Your Majesty.
I'm the one who should be doing this. I'm not sure what to make of it, but I'm sure it's worth it. ...... You should be rewarded for your service with the crown of a princess.
What are you talking about all of a sudden?　I don't want it, I don't need it!

I'm so upset that I'm about to accidentally peel off the nobleman's cat. This couple is really heartbreaking.



"In the first place, you want Shayla-sama to be your queen, don't you?　If I were to be made queen, then Shayla would not have the opportunity to take her place.
If you accept, the title and power can be yours, and the honor of being the mother of the heir can be Shayla's. ......

The moment Juke muttered that.
I'm not sure if this is a good idea or not, but it's a good idea.

"Your Majesty!
What the hell was that?

I'm sure you've heard of it, but I've never heard of it.
I'm sure you'll be able to figure out what's going on.

"Your Majesty. Please don't say something you don't mean. You know very well that it is impossible for me to be kept in the cage of a 'proper queen', don't you?
"...... Oh. You would never approve of it, and I don't want to choose a queen based on such a calculation.
I fully agree. I'm not going to be a single volunteer for the rest of my life, either.

When Alford saw that Deanna continued to speak unconcernedly, he put his sword back in its scabbard without lowering his guard. The overwhelming presence of a killer from above - the level of which would cause a running lantern to go off the moment he encountered it - was momentary, but it must have been more than momentary enough for him to recognize that there was something above this room.

In my opinion, the position of queen should be filled by a person who is willing to fulfill her duties. I fear for the future of this country if it is left to people like me, who just go with the flow and do what they feel like doing.
I don't think so,......, but I simply want to have someone I care about as a companion. I don't want to put Shayla in the shade, and I just don't think it's right to tie you down in the name of the country.

I'm relieved that Juke still cares about people when it comes to the important things. If Juke had said that he was only thinking about Shayla, a pointed object might have fallen from above.
While patting her chest, Deanna tilted her head.

If so, why did you say such a heartbreaking thing?
I'm not sure what to make of it, but I'm sure it's a good idea.
What do you mean, what happened last night?
...... Shayla said to me, "The rightful queen is the Red Rose.

It was a short speech, but you could tell that Juke was shocked.
I think it was desperation," Deanna said in an unsubtle analysis.

I want Shayla to be next to me, ...... and I'm wondering if she doesn't want me to be next to her.
It's not that she doesn't want to be next to you.　If Shayla likes you, she will want to be next to you.
...... I don't feel like she likes me.
"...... doesn't like me?
"No, they don't like me!　I'd like to think so. ......

What a troublesome couple. Objectively, I think it's clear that Shayla has a special fondness for Juke. I'm not sure if Shayla's attitude is different when it's just the two of them.

(...... not being honest?)

It seems likely that Shayla's character is struggling with the idea that she's not worthy of Juke, and that she's suppressing her feelings.
I don't want to be handed over the queenship without my knowledge. I'd be in a lot of trouble.

I've been so direct in my favors to you. ......

Juke gave me a look that was a mixture of sadness and envy. ...... Even if you're jealous there.

I'm not sure what to make of it, but I think it's a good idea. To be honest, I'm curious too. I don't remember doing anything special to her.
Tell me how to get Shayla to like me: ......
Please listen to me.

Juke is seriously annoying me at this point. Should I talk to Shayla, even though it's very hard to see her?
With Juke complaining in front of her, Deanna thought hard.