Chapter 178: The Invitation of Princess Justia
Abel was completely frozen by the appearance of this unexpected character.
Why on earth is this woman in the Midias shopping district? A person who should be in the distant Duchy of Crawford.
"There are so many strange things here. There's even a place that cuts hair like this. I guess this shop is also the work of His Highness, the Duke."
"How can you be so sure?" Abel asked.
"Your Majesty is always making something new and unique."
"That is true, but."
"And I heard there's a huge rumor about you? They say you're the pioneer of all trends."
Well, that wasn't entirely wrong. It was true that Abel had brought about great changes to the imperial society, which had been stagnant for hundreds of years.
"By the way, what are you doing here?" Abel asked.
"First of all, it's for recreational purposes. These days, Perias has become much more famous than before."
Princess Justia said, pointing to her clothes.
It was a one-piece dress that felt similar to the ones worn by the people lined up outside, but it was decorated even more extravagantly. It looked like she had probably made a few additional requests when ordering it custom.
"I don't know if you'll like it. It's a style we haven't seen before," Abel commented.
"It's so comfortable and pretty, how could it not be good?" she responded.
"Thank you for your high praise," Abel said.
As the conversation continued naturally, a thought suddenly occurred to Abel.
'That's good timing. I guess I can get some opinions.'
Princess Justia had lived in the upper class all her life. Since she was a well-known figure in social circles, she might be able to share some useful stories.
"How about other things besides clothes? For example, this beauty salon sounds good," Abel led the conversation naturally.
Princess Justia showed a satisfied expression. "I really like this space. The glass walls over there are particularly impressive. Can you see them?"
"What are you talking about?"
"Everyone looks at me with envious eyes."
The reservation had been made a long time ago, but the maids who had come to run errands hadn't left yet. They were watching a haircut through a glass window. Princess Justia could see the entire scene reflected in her mirror.
This was exactly the point Abel had hoped for. 'You got it right,' Abel thought.
It was a device deliberately created to satisfy vanity. As expected, Princess Justia had a keen eye. However, she continued talking with her lips slightly pouting.
"But I don't like being a spectator for too long. I wish I had more personal time and space."
She had been enjoying the envious looks until now, but suddenly she seemed dissatisfied.
But Abel quickly realized what she meant.
The hair styling time at Midias Beauty Salon was quite long. If one were to watch the whole process from outside, it might eventually feel burdensome.
"How about getting your hair cut here but getting other services done separately inside?" Abel suggested.
"That seems just right."
"I'm not very prepared today, so I'll put up a screen next time."
"As expected, Your Highness the Duke has great sense."
Princess Justia smiled and looked at her face in the mirror. 'It doesn't look bad to me,' Abel thought.
The hairdressers' results were remarkable, considering they had only practiced for a few months. Abel had initially been a little worried because of the high standards, but so far, it was working out well. Abel felt as if the customers could have been treated even better.
If things continued like this, they would be able to make very high profits.
'Besides, there will be more people who want to be hairdressers in Midias,' Abel thought. They would need to secure a lot of good talent so the quality of service didn't drop.
Abel tried to wrap up the conversation while looking at the names of the hairdressers.
"Then I'll see you next time," Abel said.
"Oh, wait a minute. There's something I haven't told you yet…"
Just as Abel was about to say goodbye, Princess Justia hurriedly grabbed him.
Judging by the way she trailed off, it seemed like she had something important on her mind.
"Please speak comfortably," Abel encouraged her.
"This."
Instead of answering, she handed Abel a letter. He stared at the envelope with dubious eyes.
'Hey, it's not like it's a love letter, is it?' Abel thought.
He had already noticed that Princess Justia had secretly been interested in him. They had built up a bond through going through many experiences together.
But Abel couldn't accept her heart.
Imagine your wife chasing you with a two-handed warhammer. Even if you didn't do anything wrong, shouldn't you start by avoiding such a situation?
"What is this?" Abel asked cautiously.
"It's an invitation."
"An invitation?" Abel was surprised.
"I'm getting married to the Marquis of Soltri this time. I'd like you to come and grace the occasion."
Abel sighed in relief. '...phew!'
The Duchy of Crawford was so far away that it wouldn't be easy to attend the wedding. But somehow, Abel was just relieved it wasn't a love letter.
"If it's the Marquis of Soltri…"
"Have you seen him before? Iizuka is my fiancé."
"Ah, that's what you said then. Congratulations."
This was absolutely sincere. Abel felt no regret about Princess Justia's marriage. It was a relationship that wouldn't have lasted anyway, and it would end neatly once she got married. However, there was still a hint of regret in her eyes.
Perhaps there was still some lingering attachment. From what Abel remembered, Iizuka seemed like a rather immature person.
"I really hope you come," she said, her voice slightly softer.
"I will try, my lady," Abel replied.
Continue your adventure with empire
"Yes," she said with a smile.
Abel accepted the invitation with a light heart. He had received a lot of help from her in many ways, so it seemed worth attending the wedding.
Besides, Abel had planned to visit the Duchy of Crawford and Deliat at least once. He wanted to check whether his business and the Governor-General's Office were running smoothly.
It was hard to grasp the actual situation through letters alone.
But then, the date written on the invitation caught Abel's eye.
'There are about two months left,' he thought.
It seemed like he could leave right after finishing his other matters.
After saying goodbye to Princess Justia, Abel left the beauty salon.