Chapter 12.
After talking with Luke, Flora went straight to the second floor of the Imperial Palace.
Her destination is Cecilia’s room.
Flora made sure no one was in her hallway and opened the door without knocking.
“Flora?”
“Hmm? What’s going on at this hour?”
Cecilia and Mulia, who were sitting around the tea table, cast their gazes at Flora at the same time.
‘It’s actually better since the two of them are together.’
Flora first proposed to Cecilia for her social gathering, and if she got her permission, she would inform Mulia right away.
However, having two people in the same space like this would save us a lot of trouble.
“The most noble and famous person in the Eckhart Empire… ….”
“Stop. You can omit it when we are together.”
Cecilia held her hand straight up at her.
Flora lifted her head again and drew her smile, folding her eyebrows.
“So why are you here at this hour?”
“There is something I want to ask of Your Majesty.”
“As for that, let me hear it when you’re done.”
After saying that, Cecilia shook her head again.
“What? What are you doing with Mulia?”
“Chess.”
It was Mulia who answered her question.
Flora approached the tea table. She looked over the chess board and she was just about to die.
If you look closely, Mulia has a slight advantage.
“Flora. Do you think I have a chance?”
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“Hmm… ….”
After thinking for a while, Flora responded in a bright voice.
“I don’t know.”
“I see.”
Just as one of her maids happened to be in her room, Flora asked her to bring her stool. She sat on a stool called Flora and watched with interest as the two played chess.
The result was Mulia’s victory.
“My skills are still not enough to defeat you.”
“No. I just had a little more luck.”
Even with her praise, Mullia did not lose her humility.
She was originally like that. Even if she’s a friend of 10 years.
‘Looking at him like this, he’s such a nice and sincere kid.’
Flora looked at her Mulia and thought so. She felt more sorry for her because of her.
To be too wary of Luke.
How nice it would be if everyone got along well.
“Let’s end this for today.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Then the maid took notice and put the chessboard and pieces away.
“Yes, Flora. What do you want to ask for?”
“Do you have any plans for this weekend? If not, I would like to have a social gathering with my co-workers!”
“Friendship, meeting?”
It was Mulia who asked the question.
“Yes. It’s already been over a month since Mr. Luke was selected as his direct secretary. But you’ve been working all this time, and you’ve never had a proper conversation with us. I was worried that if I left it alone, I would feel left out.”
Flora recalled the conversation she had with Luke a while ago and explained to the two of them.
From her point of view, Luke was a person who was good at work. However, he did not seem to have any intention of getting close to them, who were co-workers in the office.
Then he probably feels left out at work.
Flora was convinced of that idea based on her conversation today.
Actually, Luke didn’t even think about that.
“Hmm… ….”
Cecilia was lost in her thoughts as she lightly touched her lower jaw.
On the other hand, Mulia slightly frowned between her brows as if she was shaking.
“Even so, I had the idea of wanting my secretary to get along better with you guys. But in the meantime, I’ve been busy with work, so I never thought I’d make time for it.”
“Isn’t it? Does His Majesty feel the need for a social gathering too?”
Cecilia nodded her head once.
“Do you like Saturday?”
“Yes! I think we can set the time for Saturday morning.”
“Where is the pergola in the garden?”
“Sure. There is no better place than there.”
“Then it’s a decision.”
At Cecilia’s one word, Flora clapped her hands and welcomed her.
It was reasonable because it had been the first time in a long time that she had been in harmony with her, and even in the midst of her excitement, she had even reached the desired result.
I guess Cecilia also cared about Mr. Luke deep down.
Flora thought she had found an unexpected side of herself in her. Cecilia, whom she had seen so far, was a person who drew the line thoroughly, except for her old friends.
“I’ll have to make a notice before work tomorrow.”
“Yes, Your Majesty!”
However, unlike the two of them, Mulia felt dissatisfied.
‘Why are you trying to get close to that guy?’
Mulia was particularly difficult to understand Flora.
The guy just happened to be working with him.
Since her work skills were decent, it was Mullia’s judgment that it was best to leave her to take care of herself without needing to be touched.
But if Cecilia, the Empress of the Empire, and no one else asked to hold a social gathering, who could refuse?
Like Luke, she was no exception and Mullia herself was no exception.
‘I’ll keep a close eye on how you behave that day, Secretary Nedville.’
If the man tried to make even the slightest disturbing move, he would surely be stopped, Mullia firmly resolved.
* * *
The next day.
Before starting work in the morning, Cecilia announced one thing to us.
“This Saturday, at Flora’s suggestion, we will have a social gathering at 10 am. So, clear your schedule for that day.”
As soon as she finished her remarks, she replied that her maids and I would do it at the same time.
To be honest, I was a bit surprised.
Flora’s acting ability is the same, but I never thought Cecilia would accept this offer.
Mulia is…….
“… ….”
She immediately noticed my gaze and turned her head sideways.
It seems that she doesn’t want to meet her eyes.
At this point, she looks like her hedgehog, bristling her thorns to scare her opponents.
I really have no intention of doing anything to the lady-in-waiting or Mullia here.
I just hope that a year will pass quickly.
“Then, I must go to the conference room. Luke.”
“Yes, Your Majesty. I will prepare right away.”
In the morning, a meeting was scheduled to be held in the conference room.
I followed the empress with a document that summarized the various agendas to be presented to the meeting.
This time, as expected, the aristocratic elders were busy tackling each item the empress proposed, and as a result, most of them had no choice but to conclude the meeting without reaching a conclusion.
“Whoa. It’s just things I don’t like…….”
“You have suffered a lot, Your Majesty.”
“Thank you. But this is also something I have to deal with.”
I get confused again when I see you so resolute.
About whether she will really turn into a tyrant.
‘No. The probability that it will be different from the original is extremely low.’
The work of the day is over.
“Today was a tiring day.”
As soon as she got back to her room, she sprawled out on the bed. Then, with her blank eyes, she stared at the ceiling for a while.
‘I have to come up with a plan to submit my resignation letter and leave the empire… ….’
The problem, however, is that it’s almost to die for after being overworked almost every day.
I don’t want that guy’s paperwork to come in like a wave without a break…….
“No. Wake.”
After shaking her head,
“Suck!”
He lifted his upper body with a shout.
Fortunately, he had some stamina left over as he got used to the duties of the imperial family.
I got out of bed and decided to sit down in front of my desk and organize my thoughts.
“Hmm.”
First of all, the most important thing is the money needed to leave the territory.
It was necessary to convince my family, but since I couldn’t leave the imperial palace right now, it was difficult to do so right away.
‘Come to think of it, my father isn’t a great man to abandon all the residents…….’
Ah, let’s consider this later.
For now, the priority is to collect enough money to settle in another empire.
I propped my head up with my clasped hands and leaned as hard as I could into the back of the chair.
‘Where should I collect my salary?’
If you put your money in a bank authorized by the Eckhart Empire, all deposit and withdrawal records remain as records.
If you withdraw a large amount at once, you will surely raise suspicion from someone.
It would be nice to leave as few traces as possible…….
I looked back at the contents of the original work after a long time.
The reason why Russell, the main character of the original work, came to the Eckhart Empire.
There were two reasons for this, and one of them was to find a donation that the noble who supported him had deposited in a secret bank.
“There was a secret bank, yes.”
If you know even a little bit of information about the original, the problem will be solved quickly.
The problem, however, was that the location of the secret bank was not described in detail in the original work. The only thing they were told was that it was a guild street on the eastern outskirts.
I had no choice but to find this out myself.
“Right. Come to think of it, there was something Miloud gave me before.”
I quickly opened the desk drawer. Inside, a map containing the entirety of Delesson, the capital of the empire, was neatly placed.
In the original story, the location of the secret bank was said to be on the eastern outskirts of the capital.
I opened the map on the desk. At the very center of the map was the Imperial Palace, the heart of the empire.
With the index finger raised, he slowly lowered his gaze toward the eastern outskirts of the imperial palace. Not far from outside the gates, a spot marked Outer Village came into view.
I checked the location.
The only problem is that we don’t know which building it is.
‘Do I have to grab every passer-by and ask?’
At that moment when I was in trouble, I heard a knock.
Who are you at this hour?
“Mr. Luke. Are you inside?”
What, why did Flora come to my room?
“Yes. Wait a minute!”
I quickly folded the map, put it in the drawer, and opened the door.
Flora said no more than to excuse herself, and then she stepped into my room.
“Oh. Luke’s room looks like this.”
“You didn’t come to see my room, did you?”
“Sure! I guess it’s like humiliation.”
Flora replied with a bright smile.
She is a woman who is always full of energy even though she is under the same heavy workload as me.
“We are having a social gathering in two days. I came to see if you had plain clothes other than conquest.”
“Isn’t it okay to wear a uniform?”
When I asked her question with a tilt of her head, Flora widened her eyes.
“Oh my God. Just in case, I’m asking, plain clothes… ….”
“Of course not. I only came here.”
And since she came here, she hasn’t been out once.
“This must be a bit difficult.”
There was a hint of regret in Flora’s voice.
“Is there a rule that you have to wear plain clothes at social gatherings?”
“It’s not like that…… Everyone will come in plain clothes that day, but I was afraid that I wouldn’t be in a good mood if I was working alone.”
“No. I don’t really care.”
No way, did you really come here to ask this?
But if it’s Flora, I think she’s really like that…….
“So, are you free on Sunday? Me and Mulia go out together to buy Luke’s private clothes.”
A sudden offer like this?
I was taken aback for a while, only then did I realize Flora’s true intentions.
Perhaps Mullia won’t show me that much favor at her social gathering. I have no intention of doing that either.
Flora must have wished for me and Mulia to become even a little closer.
Just…… Now I have to deal with more important things than that.
“Thank you for the suggestion, but I think it will be difficult. I have personal business.”
“Ah… …. Then you can’t help it. Please tell me the next time you feel like it.”
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Flora never lost her smile.
After she greeted me, she went back to her room. Then silence immediately filled the room.
‘I’ll have to ask His Majesty for permission to go out tomorrow.’
I don’t have the money yet, but I’d like to find out the location in advance and get to know the staff there.
-Continued