Gathering Wives with a System

Chapter 703: Room, Secret Rendezvous

”Isaac Hargraves has come here as my guest, and I will not tolerate anything that can annoy or harm him while he remains under my protection. If the Emperor wants to meet him, then he can wait until Isaac is ready.”

Isaac raised his eyebrows slightly as he listened. Under normal circumstances, he would have been somewhat moved by those words, because having someone openly declare that they would protect him was not something he would casually dismiss.

Unfortunately, Isaac already knew exactly what Jasmine thought about him. Her system screen had made her feelings painfully clear, and seeing her dislike of him listed so openly made it impossible for him to interpret her words as simple kindness.

’She is really cunning.’

Isaac calmly looked at Jasmine while keeping his thoughts to himself. She was apparently worried that he might have done something inappropriate to Althea and even wanted him dead if he approached her, yet she was standing there and protecting him from the Second Priest without allowing any of those feelings to affect her actions.

Her emotional control was impressive.

It also meant that Jasmine was probably capable of becoming his ally despite personally disliking him. If she believed cooperating with him was beneficial, she could apparently put aside her personal feelings and treat him with respect, which made her far more difficult to understand than someone who simply acted according to their emotions.

Isaac was not sure whether that made her more trustworthy or more dangerous.

”Thank you for your consideration, Your Majesty. We will remember that we are your guests, and we will respect the rules of your city while we are here,” Isaac said calmly.

Jasmine gave him a small nod, but her attention soon moved toward Althea. She eventually looked away and returned her attention to Eloy. ”Second Priest, if you have finished bringing them here, you can leave for now. I have other matters that need to be handled.”

The corner of Eloy’s mouth twitched again, but he quickly concealed his reaction and bowed. ”Of course, Your Majesty. I will take my leave, then.”

He turned around and began flying toward the entrance, leaving Isaac somewhat amused by how quickly the Second Priest had gone from being confident and talkative to completely silent. Isaac suspected that Eloy had not expected Jasmine to dismiss him so easily, especially after he had made an effort to bring up the Emperor and the capital.

After Eloy left, Jasmine remained silent for a few moments before looking back at Isaac and the others. Her expression had returned to its usual calm state, and the tension that had filled the throne room seemed to have disappeared. ”You have all travelled a long way, so you should go and rest for now. The servants will show you to your rooms, and if you need anything, you can ask them.”

Isaac nodded and thanked her before turning away from the throne. His wives followed him, and the group slowly made their way out of the throne room with several servants accompanying them. Isaac noticed that the servants all had the same appearance as Jasmine, which still felt strange.

The maid walking closest to him eventually noticed his gaze and turned toward him with a gentle smile.

”Is there something you need, Lord Isaac?” she asked, apparently having no problem with his staring at her.

Isaac shook his head slightly as he looked at her face. ”I was only wondering something. Is it really fine for someone who has the same face as the Queen to serve guests and perform ordinary tasks around the palace? I do not personally mind it, but would other people not find it inappropriate?”

The maid smiled softly, seemingly understanding exactly why he had asked. ”We understand why you would think that, Lord Isaac. However, Her Majesty has always told us that we should take pride in our appearance, and she does not believe there is anything wrong with us having her face while performing our duties.”

She continued walking as she spoke, keeping her tone polite but relaxed. ”We are her children, after all, so there is no reason for us to be ashamed of bearing her appearance. Her Majesty created us this way, and she has never treated our duties as something that makes us lesser than her.”

Isaac nodded thoughtfully as he listened. The answer made sense, but what interested him more was the way she spoke about herself and the other automatons. They did not sound like machines simply following commands, and after speaking with her for a little longer, Isaac became certain that each automaton possessed its own artificial intelligence and could think independently.

Eventually, they arrived at the room prepared for him, and Isaac stepped inside to take a look around. The room was large and comfortable, with wide windows overlooking the city and furniture arranged around the same plant-based theme that seemed to exist throughout the palace. Small trees grew from decorative planters near the walls, while vines had been carefully arranged around several pillars without making the room feel crowded.

”It is a good room,” Isaac said as he looked around.

The maid gave him a small bow before stepping back. ”If you need anything, please ring the bell beside the bed. We will be waiting outside, and one of us will come as soon as you call.”

The servants left soon afterward, leaving Isaac alone in the room. His wives had already gone to inspect their own rooms, although he suspected that most of them would eventually end up sleeping in his room anyway. Still, having separate rooms was useful for several reasons.

The Sword Empress had also been taken to see her room, but Isaac found himself thinking about her instead. Ever since they had appeared in the Forathi Kingdom, she had become strangely quiet, and even during their conversation with Jasmine, she had barely spoken. Isaac could not help wondering if something had happened that only she knew about.

”What are you thinking about?”

Isaac glanced to the side and saw Catherine appearing. He gave her a small smile before answering, ”Nothing serious. I was just thinking about the Sword Empress and how quiet she has been since we arrived.”

Catherine did not press him for an explanation and simply followed him as he lay down on the bed. She sat beside him, gently lifted his head, and placed it against her thighs before running her fingers through his hair. ”If you are worried about something, you should tell us, okay? You don’t have to keep everything to yourself.”

Isaac hummed in response and nodded. He reached up and intertwined his fingers with hers, and the two remained like that for some time while talking quietly about the journey and everything that had happened since they arrived. The peaceful atmosphere made it easier for Isaac to relax, even though the questions surrounding Jasmine and the Sword Empress still remained in the back of his mind.

...

Alice POV

Alice entered her assigned room after the servant showed her inside, and she immediately felt pleased that she had been given a room of her own. She loved Isaac, but there was no way she was going to sleep in the same room while several of the others were there as well. It was not something she was willing to compromise on, even if she loved her family to death.

She sighed and sat on the edge of the bed before reaching for the glass of water placed beside her. Out of habit, she used her skill on it first, making sure that if anything had been added to the water, it was purified before she drank it. She knew it was probably unnecessary, but checking everything had become second nature.

”When is Selene going to come?” Alice mumbled as she looked toward the window. She took another sip of water while observing the city outside, and the sight immediately caught her attention.

The city was beautiful without being excessively extravagant. Trees grew along the streets and around the buildings, while large plants had been incorporated into the architecture instead of simply being placed around it. Some buildings even had entire sections covered in greenery, and the branches of enormous trees stretched over several pathways like natural roofs.

The air was fresh, and the mana flowing through the city felt light and refreshing. Alice had travelled to many places before, but there was something particularly relaxing about this kingdom. Even simply standing near the window and looking outside made her feel as though the tension in her body was slowly disappearing.

After resting for a while, Alice stood up and stretched her arms. She wanted to go outside and explore instead of remaining inside the room, especially since they had only just arrived and she wanted to see more of the city. Alice knew that she was an introvert and did not particularly enjoy speaking with strangers, but she still loved travelling and seeing unfamiliar places.

Her eyes shone faintly when she remembered Emily staring at the sweet shops through the carriage window while they were travelling toward the palace. Emily had looked so interested that Alice was certain she would want to visit them eventually.

”Should I buy some sweets for Emily while I look around? No, I should take her with me.”

Alice did not even consider calling Isaac. The poor man was probably going to be hounded by Celia soon enough, and the thought made Alice chuckle quietly to herself. She knew Celia well enough to understand that the devil would not be able to contain her curiosity for long, especially after seeing an entire city built around plants and trees.

Celia would probably burst into Isaac’s room, drag him outside, and spend hours exploring the city with him while asking questions about everything they encountered.

Alice preferred peace and quiet, so exploring the city with Emily sounded much better to her. She was certain Emily would enjoy the sweets, and Alice could enjoy the scenery without having to deal with too many people.

Just as Alice was about to leave, something slipped out from underneath her door and landed near her feet. She stopped and looked down at the folded piece of paper, immediately becoming cautious because she had not heard anyone approaching the room. At the same time, she sensed someone moving quickly away from the other side of the door.

Alice picked up the letter and opened it carefully. Her eyes moved over the short message, and her expression gradually became colder as she recognized the name at the end.

[Come meet me. It is regarding Isaac. Do not tell anyone. — Jasmine, Seventh Queen]

Alice stared at the message for several seconds before folding the letter again. What was this Queen planning, and why had she chosen to contact her like this? Whatever the reason was, Alice did not like the secrecy surrounding it.