Chapter 91: Ch 91. At Phoenix Plantation

Selena finally sighed in resignation. "All right, I’ll accept it for free for the first shipment. But for future shipments, I’ll pay the full price," Selena said, causing Veyna to smile and bow respectfully.

"Of course, Your Majesty. I’ll have them prepare all the materials so they can be delivered to the palace today."

Selena smiled softly, then stood up and thanked her. Veyna escorted her out of the restaurant until she climbed back onto the horse-drawn carriage and drove away.

"Your Majesty, it just occurred to me—why do we have to pay with your personal funds? The palace usually has a budget allocated for you as Queen; we can use that if it’s to meet your needs," said Vee, making Selena smile.

"I know, but let it be this way. As long as I still have money or personal funds, I’d rather use them myself. Especially since outings like this aren’t on my schedule as queen—they’re just trips I take on my own initiative. That way, using my personal funds is more efficient and won’t disrupt the palace’s finances or budget," she said calmly.

"But you have a very large monthly budget from the kings, and you can still use it even for trips without an official palace schedule. Aren’t you planning to accumulate as much wealth as possible so you’ll have a safety net in case you’re no longer queen? You should use their funds as your budget—that way, your own wealth won’t be depleted," said Vee.

Selena was silent for a moment. "In that case, you just handle it. See which of them are worthy of having the budget they’ve provided for me used. I’m excluding Dorven and Stevan—just three, since they have no intention of rejecting me, at least for now," said Selena, making Vee smile and nod.

"I already reviewed and sorted them out this past evening. Later, after I get back from here, I’ll give you all the budget reports and records," said Vee.

Selena smiled, gazing out the window at the peaceful and seemingly prosperous lives of the beastkin. They were all beautiful and well-groomed; though their beastly features were prominent, their faces looked friendly and kind.

Selena didn’t know why she enjoyed watching them so much. One thing she certainly liked was the fact that these people weren’t as bad as the wild beasts from which they took their names.

Even Dorven the lion, Stoner the wolf, and Stevan the dragon—animals she’d always associated with ferocity—had now become her husbands. Selena understood, of course, that it all depended on her perspective and how she chose to view them as fellow living beings.

Even her two bodyguards were bears—a species considered wild and ferocious in the human world. But here, they were both figures who would protect her even unto death, which is why Selena felt content with what she had now.

"Is it still far? Are we heading toward the Phoenix Realm?" Selena asked as she watched the horse-drawn carriage continue to move at a brisk pace.

Kav and Kev followed behind her, their horses galloping swiftly to keep up with Selena’s horse-drawn carriage.

"The coachman said there’s a Phoenix King plantation not far from here, Your Majesty. I think we’ll be there soon—this will be my first time visiting it, too," said Vee, and Selena nodded in understanding.

"We won’t be there long. Once I find some suitable fruit, I’ll buy it to make a drink. After this, I want to go home and rest," said Selena, and Vee nodded in agreement.

Selena thought of her old home and had considered going there, but she remembered it was quite far away, located on the outskirts of Eldoria. If she went there, it would take time; it didn’t seem worth it.

"Later, I’ll send someone to check on my house," said Selena, leaning back in the carriage.

"Is there a problem with your house, Your Majesty?"

"There’s no problem—at least that’s what I remember, since I haven’t been there since I got married. I want to see if it’s still in good condition or not. It’s likely that the house will remain my home if I no longer live in the palace. I have no intention of moving; it would be a shame to let go of the possessions I’ve acquired from them if I were to buy a new residence," said Selena, causing Vee to nod in agreement.

"Who will you send? Is there anyone else who knows where the house used to be before I entered the palace to become queen?"

"I don’t know; I’m not sure who might still know. But maybe later I can ask the Eldoria court for guidance. They must know where my old house was because I’ve forgotten a bit myself. This is my first time in the capital, so there aren’t many places I’ve memorized," said Selena, causing Vee to nod in understanding once more.

She looked at Selena, who had closed her eyes calmly. Not daring to ask any more questions, Vee knew there were many things Selena was planning, but today she didn’t want to bother her Queen too much with a barrage of questions.

Besides, privacy—the Queen’s plans, which she hadn’t spoken of directly, meant they weren’t something that needed to be asked about. Selena would surely say what she wanted to say; if not, then Vee didn’t need to ask either.

"Your Majesty, we’ve arrived," said the coachman up front, making Selena smile.

Vee got out first and helped Selena down as well. They looked around, noticing a gate labeled "Phoenix Plantation"—a rather luxurious and exclusive place. There were also several horse-drawn carriages parked there, letting Selena know that many people visited this place.

Fruit plantations turned out to be a popular destination for people of all walks of life, especially since Eldoria was a world of animals. Naturally, many animals—some of which could only eat fruit—made this place a prime destination for them.

"I’ll take care of the admission tickets; you can wait here for a moment," Vee said, causing Selena to look at her.

"Yes, but don’t tell them who I am. I want to blend in like an ordinary person. If you reveal my identity and they find out, I won’t be able to relax while looking at all the fruit here," Selena said, and Vee nodded.

Selena liked peace and quiet; she didn’t really like crowded places like this, and Vee was beginning to understand. The fact that Selena preferred the palace was further proof—proof that this woman really didn’t want to interact with people too much.

"Your Majesty, please," said Vee as she walked toward her and smiled. "I’ve already paid the admission fee for the four of us."

Selena walked into the orchard and immediately noticed how neatly it was arranged, with plants grouped by type. There were several guards and caretakers who were also Phoenixes. They worked calmly and leisurely, helping visitors whenever they had questions.

"The fruits here aren’t much different from those in the human world," she murmured as she entered and approached the raised beds.

There were several types of plants that were quite lush and nearly perfect. Root vegetables and fruits were also available inside.

Vee brought a basket and a pair of shears, making Selena smile. They began walking around, and Selena tasted the fruits to satisfy her longing for their flavors.

Selena also sampled several varieties of grapes, lychees, and other fruits. She had a strong stomach, and even when eating large quantities—though she didn’t get an upset stomach—she finished everything.

Selena was quite overwhelmed by the wide variety, and she even sat down to pick some jumbo strawberries. It truly was a luxurious orchard worthy of the slogan "The King’s Orchard." Selena could feel at ease if she were surrounded by these fruits every day.

"It’s been a few days since Her Majesty the Queen regained her strength. Not a single one of them has introduced the Queen to the public. Shouldn’t that be the case? Why haven’t the Kings done so?" asked one of the visitors at Phoenix, who was also picking strawberries, to her friend.

Selena was enjoying herself for a moment, but then she quietly turned her head to listen to what they were talking about.

"I’m curious too, but the private lives of the five kings aren’t something we need to know in depth. Even when they got married, they were just paraded in a horse-drawn carriage, and I arrived too late—I don’t remember their faces clearly at all."

"If that’s the case, it seems like this rumor is true," said one of them, causing her friend to turn and look at her in surprise.

"What rumor?"

"Their marriages are decreed by the gods, so of course there’s no love involved—and that’s exactly why they don’t need to introduce their wives to everyone. They’re just getting married to fulfill their duty; there’s no real need to introduce their wives to everyone," she said, causing Selena to look at Vee, who appeared anxious.

"If that’s really the case, I feel so sorry for the Queen. She’s just being used."