I wasn't surprised, but why Kibun?
This boy seems to really like me.
I looked at Kibun in surprise and Jayden slapped the table hard.
Then he threatened Kibon:
“Hey, apprentice.”
“…”
"What is this?
I'm calling you and you don't answer?"
"…Yes."
"Get out of here.
I'm going to talk to Namiya now about a very important matter.
It's not the place for a petty cultivator like you.
Did that make you angry?
Then work hard and rise in status.
Understood?
Answer me."
“…”
“Answer.”
"…Yes."
Kibune gritted his teeth audibly.
But there is no choice.
The prince's order cannot be refused.
Kibun got up with a hesitant face and left the minister's room.
Then he stood at the door.
I looked at his back and thought:
'...He'll hear it all anyway.'
The truth is that the minister's room is not well soundproofed.
But it seemed that Jayden did not realize this, so he began to speak in a serious tone:
“Anyway, it's about my brother.”
“Yes, please.”
While Jayden was organizing his thoughts, I glanced sideways at Kibune's back.
I was ready to stop Jayden if he said something that others shouldn't hear.
“Luminous, then...”
But Jayden kept hesitating and did not speak.
Finally, I suggested gently to ease his tension:
“Would you like a cake, Your Highness?
It may be modest, but I want to offer you something.”
“I'm a little picky but give it to me.”
"Good."
I took a cake out of the drawer along with a small manuscript.
It was a short-distance transmission scroll, not very useful but appropriate for the moment.
I activated the scroll and the cake floated over the paper and landed quietly in front of Jayden.
"wow!"
Jayden's eyes widened and he exclaimed in admiration.
I suppressed my laughter:
'Rude but nice looking!'
He grew up without a family education and learned from Lydon that “common people are imperfect and stupid people should be ignored,” so he became like this, but he is nice anyway!
'In the original story... he grows morally over time.'
Now that Lydon is gone and his family education is beginning, he will improve even more.
I waited until Jayden had eaten an entire cake.
He wiped his mouth after he swallowed it:
“How much, how much.”
Finally he spoke:
“Namiya, you clearly said that everything Lydon said was a lie, right?”
“Ah… except specifically for knowledge.”
“Lydon said about you, the Minister of the Manuscripts Department, that you are petty, arrogant, from a lowly family, and stupid and do not know your position.”
I was expecting that but hearing it from a kid made me feel bad.
Jayden continued calmly:
“But logically, if that is a lie, then you are a very good person.”
“Um... yes.
I think I am a good person, with good abilities, from a lowly family, but I know my position as a minister well.”
“Exactly.
The truth is... after meeting you, I realized it even more.
You seem like a good person.”
I gave him a cake and entertained him with the manuscript, so his evaluation became exaggerated!
Jayden crossed his arms and raised his chin arrogantly and said:
"I'll be honest.
What does my brother need to fix?
How does he do it?"
"…What?"
“Think of it like calming down an annoying child and giving me a hint.”
Jayden quickly ate another cake and continued:
“My brother is a lonely person.
You humans do not know this and tremble before him, but he is good nonetheless.”
“Ah…”
“His Majesty the Empress and Emperor are not asking because of their prestige but they wish for you and His Highness to become the Crown Prince together.
So I, being the impudent child who doesn’t care about appearances, decided to ask on behalf of the family.”
It was really amazing.
I looked at Jayden's plump cheeks and said slowly:
“I have only met His Highness the Crown Prince three times.
All of them were for short official matters and in the presence of others.
There is nothing to fix...
I simply do not know him well.”
Jayden swallowed the cake and smiled happily:
"So since you two don't know each other well yet, there's room.
So what kind of man do you want to marry?"
“Um… someone who is comfortable to deal with, I don’t get nervous in front of him, and he is always on my side...”
But to have an honest conversation with a very extreme prince:
"What?
You want a slave?"
“No, not necessarily a slave...”
“The system of slavery was abolished 392 years ago.
Give up this taste.
Of course I know that there are many arguments until it is abolished.
In my opinion, all the arguments were trivial except for Oraton’s last words, which had meaning...”
Jayden started talking about the slavery system.
I noticed Kibune's back.
He hears it all, but he stands motionless, his back straight and calm.
‘Hmm…’
If I said now, “Come in, Kibon,” he would have entered immediately without speaking.
It comforted me in a strange way.
'Oh, my God.
I like to be in control...'
No one around me obeyed me.
Frankly, I miss my mother, and I wished that my father would stay with me instead of me going to the academy.
At the beginning of my work, I hoped that Victor would not go on a long journey, and that the Tower Master would stay in the capital to support me.
'But they all left for their own reasons.'
I didn't ask them to stay because I knew they wouldn't listen.
‘So, isn’t there supposed to be one person in the world, just one, who obeys me?…’
I suddenly remembered what Kibun had said when he first became my secretary:
“When you deal with me, remember only one thing.
If you order me, Madam Secretary, I will always obey.
Don’t think too much and order me directly.”
This was not an empty promise.
Since that day Kibun has always obeyed my orders.
So I gave him orders without thinking or hesitating.
'If I told Kibune don't leave me... he would immediately say yes.'
With a face that does not appear to be any submission.
Meanwhile, Jayden was still talking about slavery.
I was listening with one ear and thinking absently when:
“Jayden!”
The door to the manuscripts section opened forcefully again.
"Yes!"
Anastasia shouted.
The door had been smashed.
The Empress, who broke down the door, entered and rubbed her ear in embarrassment:
"What is this?
Why is he so weak?"
She kicked the door, complaining.
The scene was so shocking that Anastasia did not offer coffee.
"My mom!"
Jayden, who had been talking passionately about slavery, stood up in surprise.
The Empress approached, laughing, and headed towards the minister's room:
"Jayden!
I heard you were here and I came over!
Hahaha!"
The Empress, who decided not to hide her character in front of her son, was radiant.
I imagined their conversation:
“Jayden, your mother is really ignorant and stupid...
I was afraid she would be ashamed of me...”
“Understood.
But I want the love of a mother like you.
I will not be ashamed of you until I reach adolescence.”
"Hahaha!
Good!
Very cool!
Let's work on this until you're a teenager, my son!"
The remains of the door were hanging from the Empress's dress.
She shouted while laughing:
“Let's go together to tailor the clothes for Saint Cairo's banquet... um?”
The Empress who was shouting her mission suddenly stopped.
Her eyes turned to Kibun standing in front of the minister's room.
Kibun saluted slowly, motionless:
“I greet Her Majesty the Empress.”
A sparkle flashed in the Empress's eyes.
Because of her strange expression, I was surprised and tried to leave quickly, but:
“Hey, you.”
The Empress smiled, folded her arms, and said to Kibon:
“Let's fight now.”