Chapter 243.1. Masatoshi And Yakiniku

-Sena’s POV-
Sena got into the car and headed towards Aguni Dukedom. The royal family’s exclusive vehicle, protected by magical armor, had incredibly comfortable seats, spacious enough to stretch her legs. 
A maid sat across her, taking drinks from a small refrigerator, making it extremely comfortable.
Come to think of it. That was how it used to be when I was a child before. That was her ordinary life, but I gradually turned it into money to support Shin, so she sadly remembered selling this car too. 
Whenever Shin needed money, I would hand it over because he relied on me.
I had limitations on her usable assets, and she could only use healing magic a few times a day. Furthermore, there were the eyes of the Kamunake family, so she couldn’t receive much money from those she healed.
As the polite and kind Saint, I had fame, praise, respect, and the gaze of admiration, but I had no money. That was who I was before the world changed.
The maids by her side left one after another, leaving mostly those affiliated with Kanna Dukedom.
“I appeared fine on the outside, but inside, it was quite miserable…”
I, who had not noticed that fact, sighed as if tired. I had been foolish. At this rate, I was nothing more than a woman who would fall for marriage fraud or get caught up with hosts.
With half-closed eyes, I looked at my reflection in the window. I once again realized the necessity of cunning.
“What’s the matter, Princess?”
“Oh, it’s just that I’m about to meet Masatoshi, and I’m a little worried if this outfit is okay.”
The concerned maid smiled. Seina’s smile, which still held traces of her youth, comforted the maid, who nodded understandingly and placed her hand near her mouth.
“Oh, don’t worry, Princess. I’m sure the young master of Aguni Dukdom will be enchanted when he sees you.”
“I hope so. But, won’t I be a bit too cute?”
“As a casual outfit, it’s designed to be stylish. There’s absolutely no problem.”
I covered my blushing cheeks and tried to divert the topic from earlier. 
But I couldn’t help looking back at my attire. It was a girly outfit, with a slightly sweet, girlish feel. The pink color with a ribbon attached was charming. The long skirt gave off the vibe of a sheltered young lady.
As I wondered if Masatoshi-san liked this cute style, her memories of Shin’s compliments surfaced. 
He seemed shallow, as he used to say the same things to all the girls.
However, at that time, Shin had a kind personality that left a favorable impression. It was part of what led to me getting deceived.
Even in my naive state, as a princess, she possessed enough sharpness to notice if someone was pretending.
And I believed he had a cunning side too. Now that I thought about it, his personality often seemed completely different.
Good-hearted Shin, cunning Shin. It felt like there were various versions of Shin. What was the meaning behind this?
But it was all quite strange. Shin was busy with preparations for tomorrow’s coronation ceremony. He had no time to chase after me.
I’m not sure about this mechanism. Its secrets that Ashtaroth hadn’t been revealed to me.
Determined to expose those secrets and thwart Shin’s ambitions once and for all, I thought to myself.
“You don’t need to worry, Princess.”
“Oh, no, it’s not that…”
Misunderstanding my contemplative expression as anxiety, the maid looked at me with warm eyes, and I waved my hands flusteredly to respond. 
Perhaps my cheeks were slightly red because the car’s air conditioning was too effective.
After visiting Aguni Dukedom, those worries completely disappeared.
“Today, too, you look lovely, Sena-san. The girly outfit suits you very well.”
Masatoshi-san chuckled and made what seemed like a confident expression. He turned his face slightly to the side and complimented me.
He loves garlic. Thank you, I like it too. After eating it, I recommend an apple.
“Thank you, Masatoshi-san. Hehe, the tuxedo suits you too.”
A first-year middle school student in a tuxedo with a bowtie and slicked-back hair stood before me. He seemed to like garlic. Thank you, I like it too. I’d recommend apples after eating them.
Casting a fleeting glance towards the butler standing slightly behind Masatoshi-san, he responded with a face that held a hint of apology, saying that someone stopped us. 
Yes, being praised by someone with no sense can make you quite uneasy.
Well, Masatoshi-san is a bit quirky, after all.
“Ahahaha, garlic, you say! Garlic! Yeah, yeah, garlic, right, Masatoshi?”
Amidst hearty laughter, it was Akechi Mion who patted Masatoshi-san’s shoulder vigorously. I wondered why she was here.
“Let’s eat the Hornbear Cow soon!”
“Yeah, yeah, let’s eat quickly.”
“Onii-chan, the meat’s gonna burn!”
Besides Mion, there were other familiar orphans from the orphanage. It seemed like there was some gathering happening.
“Um, did we intrude or something?”
“No! Not at all, not even a smidgen. We just had a surplus of Hornbear Cow from Takano County, so I couldn’t finish it ourselves and decided to invite everyone!”
When I timidly asked, Masatoshi-san quickly explained. Hornbear Cow? I wondered, but come to think of it. Mii-chan had sent some to me too. She had acquired a large amount from the Ranch Dungeon where she always went for massive hunts. 
Since I couldn’t eat it all, I was sharing it with everyone. I had distributed some to the maids and Royal Guards, but Masatoshi-san intended to feed it to the children from the orphanage.
“You are lonely, aren’t you?”
“Huh? Noble friends are just… troublesome. It’s a scary world where buying meat for someone can instantly make you a best friend or even a fiancée.”
I reply with a scowling face to Mion-san, who slaps Masatoshi-san’s shoulder and teases him.