Chapter 54 Let me hold your hand
Chapter 54 Let me hold your hand
It was late at night, but Cecilia couldn’t lie in bed.
She sat down at her desk to finish off unfinished business during her working hours.
What Cecilia was looking down at was a piece of paper with some type on it.
The paper contained a plan for restoration of flooded areas in the area around the Hechi River Canal.
‘Will this amount of manpower be enough?’
Cecilia thought about 300 people.
She was able to somehow fit in if she gathered all the personnel from the city maintenance department and other departments. If you include some of the Imperial Knights there, you can increase the number of people.
“Whoa… ….”
Cecilia let out her low sigh and grabbed her own hair with both her hands. In addition to this, a separate budget must be set aside for restoration.
This she could not leave to the discretion of the Treasury.
It was an urgent budget, so she had to come up with it herself.
Cecilia closed her eyes and went through her budget items in her head.
Reinforcing collapsed embankments.
Rebuilding a collapsed house.
In addition to house repairs and road maintenance.
Providing meals for recovery workers, and more.
“… ….”
After Cecilia had sufficiently organized her thoughts in her head, she wrote them down on paper.
‘I’ll have to take another look at it tomorrow and make a decision.’
Cecilia put her paper aside.
Now I have other business to deal with.
As soon as she thought of that, Cecilia involuntarily let out her sigh.
She was fully aware that the position of emperor was not comfortable. But just because she knew it didn’t make it any less difficult.
‘I need to catch my breath for a bit.’
Cecilia leaned her back against her back. Then her headache, which had been defeated for a moment, came again.
It’s been like this lately.
Every time she used her hair a little, she always got a headache.
She was at least tolerable during her work hours, but the pain she felt at night was stronger than that.
She let out a low groan with her brow furrowed.
Unable to stay still, she pressed both of her temples with her thumbs. However, her headache did not subside easily.
‘It’s tough today… ….’
Cecilia finally got up from her seat. It was because her head was pounding so much that she couldn’t stand it any longer.
She sat astride her bed and tugged at her hanger.
After a while, a maid came to her room.
“Prepare headache medicine and herbal tea.”
The maid who greeted her left her room with quick steps.
Cecilia put one hand on the post of her canopy bed and the other on her forehead.
‘Why is it like this today?’
It was the first time I had such a long headache.
It was not easy to go to bed at this rate.
She eagerly awaited the return of her maid.
After a while, the maid returned to her room and approached Cecilia with a tray of medicine and water cups.
“Here you are, Your Majesty.”
“Yes… ….”
Cecilia took the pure white headache pills first.
The maid, who was watching her with concern, opened her mouth cautiously.
“Your Majesty. I am worried that Okche may be ill.”
“What? It’s just a light headache.”
“But… ….”
The maid stopped to say her words.
Cecilia raised her hand to stop her.
“It’s okay. I know the condition of my body best.”
“Yes… ….”
The emperor says it’s okay, but how can she, as a mediocre maid, throw up herself?
“It’s late. Let’s go.”
“Yes, Your Majesty. I hope you have a restful night.”
The maid, who had posted a polite night’s greeting, left her room.
Now Cecilia is left alone again.
She looked around her room and suddenly felt that it was cold.
‘I guess I should go to sleep now.’
At least her headache has subsided so much that she can sleep. Cecilia turned off her lights and tucked herself under her covers.
Lying on her side, she stared blankly at her wall, and before long she burst out with a yawn.
“What’s left is to be done tomorrow… ….”
Cecilia muttered in a low tone and closed her eyes.
And when the morning sun came up, she fell seriously ill.
* * *
I left my room at 8:40 am.
If you go to work two more days, you can have another weekend!
It would be nice if today was Friday…….
When I arrived at the office, I could find Flora and Mulia standing at the door.
“Daughter of the Marquess of Simonion, Lady of the Earl of Fordward. Good morning.”
“Yes! Good morning too, Luke.”
Flora waved her hand with her cheerful tone.
“Good morning, secretary.”
Mulia responded in a soft voice and moved her head slightly.
Flora unlocked the office door with her key. Upon entering, we took our seats.
I checked the grandfather clock and it was 8:45 am.
In another five minutes, Cecilia will arrive here too.
‘What kind of work awaits me today… ….’
Please be strong enough to leave work.
While she was praying with her hands together, Flora called me from across the street.
“Mr. Luke. Are you praying?”
“Oh? How did you know?”
“They put their hands together as if they were praying.”
Flora copied my hand movements. Then she showed interest even to Mullia, who was sitting next to her.
“Yes. I was hoping that today, please don’t have too much work.”
“Aha… ….”
“… ….”
The two women shook their heads.
Perhaps both of you are thinking the same thing as me, even if you don’t say anything.
“I’m wishing I did too.”
Flora directly agreed with me. Mullia responded by moving her head.
She chatted like that for a while, and then she suddenly realized that Cecilia hadn’t come yet.
Isn’t it 8:50 yet?
I checked the grandfather clock and it was pointing exactly at 8:55.
‘I passed it?’
In the next five minutes, the documents gathered from each department will arrive at the office one by one…….
A question arose in an unusual situation.
Why is Cecilia making her late?
“Your Majesty is late for some reason.”
Muttered Flora, her eyes fixed on her grandfather clock.
Me and Mulia agreed with her words.
At this point, I guess I’ll have to send someone to call Cecilia.
“Shall we call the butler and ask him to find out what is going on?”
“I guess I should do that.”
“Yes.”
At my suggestion, the two women nodded their heads.
I approached the string installed on the side of Cecilia’s desk. Just as I was about to grab it and pull it,
– Smart.
A knock rang in the office.
“Secretary and maids. I am Hegel the butler.”
Why is the butler who hasn’t been called yet?
While I was tilting my head, Flora got up and opened the door.
“What are you here for?”
“The lady-in-waiting. Now His Majesty…….”
The butler stopped talking and rolled his eyes.
It must be because Mulia and I quickly approached Flora.
I urged the butler to speak quickly and not to worry.
“Your Majesty is ill, so I have come to tell you the news.”
“Suddenly?”
Flora gave a surprised voice. Me and Mulia were also surprised.
“Are you in a lot of pain? Cold? Sick? Or is it seriously ill? Huh?”
Flora grabbed the butler’s shoulders and continued to rock her back and forth. The wind made the butler’s head move weakly like a reed blowing in the wind.
“Poetry, lady-in-waiting. Let go of her shoulders, shoulders… ….”
At the butler’s request, Flora finally let go of his shoulder. He cleared his throat and then announced that Cecilia was now sick with her cold and that she was in bed.
“Did you tell us what to do with our report?”
This time I asked him a question.
“You asked me to work hard as usual.”
“Anything else?”
This time Flora’s question attack.
At this point, the butler was clearly taken aback, but he answered with a firm attitude.
“You didn’t say much… ….”
Well, it’s definitely a Cecilia-like spell.
“Luke, what do you think should be done?”
Why?
I thought you would ask Mullia for her opinion, but you asked me first.
Unlike me, who felt puzzled by her, Mullia didn’t react much. No, it was just staring at my face.
It seems like he is secretly expecting the answer I will give him.
After thinking about it for a moment, I came up with an answer that the two of them seemed to want.
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“Let’s go to His Majesty. If we come, you will be very happy.”
“I agree with you, Mr. Luke.”
“I will.”
The expressions of the two ladies-in-waiting became much brighter than before. Also, this was the correct answer.
We strode straight toward the empress’ room.
* * *
When I arrived at Cecilia’s door, the imperial doctor came out just in time. Flora quickly grabbed him and inquired about Cecilia’s condition.
“My body aches from overwork. You seem to have been overdoing it for a while.”
“Oops… ….”
Flora sighed, covering her mouth with her hand.
Then, this time, Mulia asked another question.
“Is Your Majesty sleeping now?”
“No. You just took your medicine. Please don’t disturb our rest too much.”
After the imperial physician asked us to, we walked towards her stairs.
Flora knocked cautiously on the door, and on behalf of Cecilia, her maid asked who we were.
“The secretary and the maids.”
After Flora answered, the maid opened the tightly closed door.
“… ….”
Cecilia, who was lying on the bed, looked at us with her blank eyes.
“A gear has arrived… ….”
Cecilia’s voice was more hoarse than usual.
Meanwhile, the maid quickly prepared her three stools beside her bed. Thanks to that, we were able to sit there and take a close look at Cecilia.
Her normally shiny golden hair felt a bit frizzy today. Her complexion looked even worse.
A look that anyone could call a patient.
“I must have told you to go about your business normally.”
As Cecilia tried to raise her body, the maid supported her back.
“I was worried because His Majesty was ill.”
Flora’s worry, me and Mullia nodded her head at her young voice. Cecilia let out a deep sigh.
“I made you worry for no reason… …. It’s my negligence.”
For some reason, Cecilia uttered a self-deprecating remark. Something she would never have said normally.
It seemed like he was worried because he had many things to worry about.
“No, Your Majesty.”
“It can’t be! It’s because we didn’t take care of it properly.”
Mulia had a really apologetic tone. Flora, on the other hand, raised her voice as if to cheer her up.
“As secretary, I am sorry that I did not take good care of Your Majesty’s health.”
Cecilia waved her hand as I stood up and tried to bend her back.
“Stop. It’s my responsibility. It’s nothing for you to apologize for.”
Well, if that’s the case, don’t.
I sat down on the stool again.
Cecilia gave us simple business instructions. If there were any leftovers, she instructed them to bring them to herself.
Flora and Mulia disagreed, but
“This is an order.”
With one shot from Cecilia’s charismatic eyes, he became a mute.
“I’m tired, so I’ll just do this.”
“Yes, I have been rude, Your Majesty. Rest in peace.”
The two maids posted the same greeting as mine.
Then, just as I was getting up to go back to her office, Cecilia made her unexpected request.
“Luke. Please stay here for a while.”
“Yes?”
Cecilia took her one step further and sent her out with her maid to nurse herself.
Your Majesty. What are you trying to do with me…….
Soon after everyone had gone out, she told me about her business.
“Luke. My hand…… Let me catch you.”
-Continued