An Adventurer Mom, Who Awakened [Housewife] Skill Through a Login Bonus, Is Making the Most of Her Adventurer Life With the Weekly Flyers She Gets! - Chapter 57

That day, at the estate of Gilman, the Marquis in the royal capital, the customary Flower Gathering was being held.

The Marchioness Gilman was well known in high society, and every few months she hosted a tea party at her residence to admire the seasonal flowers.

The Gilman estate was famous for its splendid gardens, and the Flower Gathering held there was a grand event that had become a tradition of the kingdom’s social scene.

This time, the guest list included Minerva Garfa, the daughter of Rupert Garfa, one of the country’s wealthiest men, who had long been absent from society due to illness.

Because of her presence, the gathering was even more crowded than usual, as many wished to catch a glimpse of the much-talked-about young lady.

Minerva Minerva was sixteen years old, not yet debuted into society.

And because she was a commoner, even before her illness the parties she could attend were limited and since the Minerva family’s main residence was in Labyrinth City Loa, she rarely visited the royal capital.

Wealthy merchants valued bloodlines as much as nobles did.

Therefore, political marriages were common, but Rupert had not chosen a fiancé for his beloved daughter.

At the time of marriage, Minerva would surely be given a vast dowry, making her the object of desire for noblemen and wealthy men alike.

It was even said that the Third Prince had added her to the list of possible fiancées.

However, a year ago Minerva had fallen ill and her father Rupert refused all visitors and revealed nothing of her illness, leading to whispers that it must be a life-threatening disease.

One would think this would lessen Minerva’s marriage prospects, but instead they only increased.

Many nobles looked down on merchant families of the commoner class.

To make the sickly Minerva into nothing more than an ornamental wife was an ideal situation for them.

Because their ulterior motives were so transparent, Rupert rejected every marriage proposal that came flooding in.

The young lady at the center of attention, Minerva, was escorted to the gathering by her elder brother Gilbert.

Before her illness, Minerva had been a beautiful girl with striking chestnut hair and green eyes.

Although her sickness had healed, the Flower Gathering was being held outdoors.

Since it was still better for her to avoid the strong sunlight, Minerva wore a thick veil that completely covered her head, hiding her face from view.

It was said that the illness she had suffered for a year had been a particularly troublesome skin disease.

“It is truly wonderful that your illness has improved.”

“Thank you very much, I am sorry to have caused such concern.”

The voice that answered was as light and clear as it had been a year ago.

At her side was her brother Gilbert, smiling gently.

The illness really did seem to have healed. Although she still kept her heavy veil on, she appeared quite healthy.

Even though it was a thick veil, it was, after all, worn by the daughter of the Garfa Trading Company, which had also expanded into the fashion industry.

Made from several layers of lace fabric, it was a rather elaborate veil that suited Minerva well.

With just a faint translucence, it allowed her face to be almost visible, yet not quite, which drew even more attention from the people.

Beneath the veil, Minerva wore a wolf-ear headband.

This was a recent trend in high society, and since beast-ear headbands were products of the Garfa Trading Company, it was natural that she would be wearing one.

These beast-ear headbands, being cute, were already hugely popular among the general public, but they had also become a major trend within high society.

“It is said that even His Majesty the King favors the beast-ear headbands from the Garfa Trading Company.”

At those words, Gilbert bowed his head.

“Yes, it is truly an honor.”

It was in fact His Majesty the King himself who had recommended and spread the use of the headbands.

The King had long been troubled by the rampant discrimination against beastkin in this country.

Beastkin were classified as demi-humans, the same as Dwarves and Elves.

These races did not wish to associate with a kingdom that rejected beastkin.

As a result, their superior technologies and materials that could only be obtained from demi-human nations had become difficult to acquire within the kingdom.

The King, deeply concerned about this, began to personally use the wolf-ear headband that the Garfa Trading Company had presented to him.

Inspired by the sight of the King, high officials, and then their wives, also began wearing beast-ear headbands…

Thus, in just a few weeks, beast-ear headbands swept across the entire kingdom.

And just as the King had intended, prejudice toward demi-humans was gradually beginning to subside.

As Minerva and the others enjoyed the flowers and chatted in a relaxed mood, the venue suddenly began to stir.

Wondering what was happening, Minerva and her companions raised their heads.

Gilbert furrowed his brow for a moment, then leaned in and whispered so that only Minerva could hear.

“It is the Third Prince. He has arrived.”

“Yes, Brother.”

Minerva answered in a tense but firm voice, nodding resolutely.

＊＊＊

Just as Gilbert had said, the one who arrived with his entourage was the Third Prince, Serendip.

Since the Marquis’s Flower Gathering was always a flourishing event, it was not unusual for a prince to slip in incognito.

Although the Third Prince would almost never inherit the throne unless something extraordinary happened, he was the only child of the current Queen, and for a certain reason, he drew fervent attention from the young ladies.

Even aside from his status as a prince, Serendip was known for his gentle and mild nature, and he also possessed outstanding looks.

He was truly the picture of a prince from a painting, and his popularity was high.

“It is Prince Serendip.”

“My, how wonderful.”

“What a beautiful person.”

While the younger girls squealed and fussed around him, the older ones remarked,

“No, no, when His Highness Bern Luvald, the Second Prince, was a child, he was so beautiful he could have been mistaken for an angel.”

“Yes, indeed.”

And what of Bern Luvald now?

When asked, everyone dodged with,『H-his Highness has grown into a fine man』but it was true that in his youth, Bern Luvald had been far more of a beautiful boy.

Bern Luvald had a niche following, mostly among men, but he avoided the spotlight, preferring to take on the quieter, less glamorous duties among his official tasks.

What was more, he was still unmarried, and rumors said that he had no interest in the line of succession.

It was whispered that after his elder brother’s accession, he wished to step down into commoner status.

Garrit, the First Prince, was turning thirty this year, yet he too had no wife.

For someone of the First Prince’s status, this was highly unusual, but it was said that back when Garrit was still in his teens, he had lost his fiancée in an accident.

Because of this tragic experience, even the King showed consideration for the First Prince, never pressing him to marry.

As a result, everyone’s attention had turned to the fiancé of the Third Prince.

Whoever became his wife might one day become the mother of a future King.

“Lady Minerva.”

Serendip came straight over and addressed Minerva directly.