I answered calmly:
“Ah, I intend to set one trap.
Um, but that requires His Highness the Crown Prince’s approval for something...”
“Hmm?”
“First of all, may I… use Your Highness’s name a little?”
Kiaros clasped his hands carefully:
“Explain.”
He ordered me with a slight smile:
“I'm so excited.”
I saw the smooth nature of his orders, so I relaxed for a moment.
An innate arrogance that never bowed to anyone.
Self-control and austerity that become a habit out of consideration for others.
However, a confidence that stems from his knowledge of his superiority.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Ah…”
I moved my fingers and answered:
“I just felt that His Highness the Crown Prince... never heard even the slightest annoying word from anyone.”
Someone who was born a ruler and raised a ruler.
Even the imperial family was always kind to him.
"This is amazing."
Having both power and skill is really amazing...
I want to be like him...
Kiaros laughed quietly and rested his chin indifferently:
“Okay.”
He looked at me directly and answered easily:
“I am too, sort of.”
* * *
The next morning, the Manuscripts Department office.
"Hey, are you kidding?
Huh?
Smiling?
You're smiling?
Is that funny?
Amusing?
What?
Why are you smiling?
So I'm wrong in my vision?
My eyes are crooked now?
Huh?
Stand up straight!"
Kibun was being scolded nonstop.
“What did I say?
Didn’t I say that I didn’t like this boy’s eyes from the beginning?
Huh?
His face is like that of a fraud, and even his intuition is buried somewhere?
Ah, really...”
Because Jayden and the Empress broke in.
"Hey, you were there too.
You know everything and you ruined His Highness the Crown Prince's plan just now?
Huh?
How dare you ask to be the partner?
Huh?"
The Empress beat her chest hard as if she couldn't believe it.
Jayden shouted as he stomped the ground.
“My big plan was ruined because of you!”
From Jayden and the Empress's perspective, it was natural for them to be angry.
They were both desperate to make me and Kiaros partners.
'In fact, if Kibun hadn't come forward, it would have been Victor who asked to be my partner, but they don't know.'
Jayden held his head and cried:
“Ah… they even summoned Namiya to the Crown Prince’s room last night!”
He did summon me...but it didn't seem like the goal was to ask for a partnership.
While they were screaming, I poked Kibun's side.
Kibun said in a low voice:
“Sorry.
I didn’t understand very well.”
I had taught him this morning:
“Kibun, today Her Majesty the Empress and His Highness the Prince will definitely come and make a fuss.”
"concept."
“…In such a case, do not say ‘Understood’, but ‘What should I do?’…Anyway, just repeat ‘Sorry.
I did not understand well.’”
Anyway, Kibun had to attend Saint Cairo's banquet.
There were many big nobles.
He will be embarrassed if his behavior inappropriate for his position causes a problem.
‘But this Kibun’s behavior… is really mysterious.’
There's nothing obvious to criticize, but it's definitely different.
So I chose avoidance rather than correction.
“Also at the banquet, if you feel the atmosphere is strange, just repeat ‘Sorry.
I didn’t understand well.’ Understood?”
“…Does that solve everything?”
“Repeat it until it is resolved.
In the end, the other party will back down from the high pressure.
He who does not understand is never defeated.”
But I can't wait 'till then' with the imperial family and prolong the time.
So I went forward and called Kibun:
“Kibun, come and work.
The work is backlogged.”
This was the only way to calm Jayden and the Empress.
“I've been making him work so hard lately, he's rolling over from exhaustion.
He's so busy.”
Made it seem more stressful under my management.
When I placed a stack of papers on Kibun's desk, his face turned pale.
It was already a lot of work, so I wasn't going to lie.
Then I smoothly diverted the attention of the Empress and Jayden:
“First, I will explain how to use the scrolls.
I will calculate everything until the moment of activation, all you have to do is repeat the slogan...”
After several demos, I left the rest to the staff.
Then I returned to the minister's office.
I had a lot to accomplish.
Suddenly Victor, who had officially started work today, appeared:
“Oh, Madam Secretary.”
Victor had already completed his first report.
He entered the office and presented the report with a smile:
“It seems that you put a lot of effort into the manuscripts for Saint Cairo’s banquet?
Oh, you must have stayed up.
We have lunch together?
The menu for the in-house restaurant today is good.”
His tone was full of easy humor.
“And I heard a very interesting rumor yesterday.
They say that the seductress who broke the heart of His Highness the Crown Prince is our minister.”
I took the report and skimmed it quickly.
As befits the always superior Victor, it was an excellent report.
He probably learned perfect coordination from his adoptive father, the Minister of Finance.
“So I thought like this.”
Victor raised his eyebrows and said jokingly:
“Wow, who would dare to confess to our Minister of Fear?”
Without taking my eyes off the report, I answered:
"Yes?
Fear of what?
From His Highness the Crown Prince?"
Victor raised his arms exaggeratedly and replied:
“No.
By our Minister’s high standards.
Unless he was a nice little man like me, who would dare to confess?”
I burst out laughing.
Victor was as big as a bear, and his description of himself as “little and cute” was funny.
At that moment, the quill pen of Kibun, who was processing the papers behind me, broke with a “click.”
لاحظ فيكتور أوّلًا وقال:
“Oh?
Our apprentice friend’s pen broke.
You shouldn’t lose your concentration during calculations, I will lend you my pen temporarily.”
Kibun looked away and said firmly:
“No need.”
But Victor did not care and laughed gently:
“Come on, don't be embarrassed.
There's no need to be tough with your co-workers.
Oh, but I won't give it away at all.
This is a gift from Namiya earlier.
Use it and return it to me.”
He quickly threw a pen from his pocket to Kibun.
I looked at the pen for a moment.
It was cheap and I had bought it hard in my school days.
'He still has it.'
I lost myself in thought for a moment, then forced myself to speak again:
“That's right.
Whether anyone admits to me or not, His Highness the Crown Prince is not that narrow-minded.”
Suddenly, Kibon strode over and placed the pen Victor had given him for his report on my desk with a “click.”
Ah, he ignores the kindness of others, really narrow-minded.
I shook my head inwardly and continued:
“He is confident in everything, so he will be tolerant.”
“Right?
Even if I confessed to you… Ah!
Kibun, did you step on my foot just now?
Are you suffering from anemia?
Did you feel dizzy?
Shouldn’t we go to the healthcare department?”
Victor stumbled after Kibune stepped on his foot.
I looked at Kibun suspiciously.
It seemed intentional.
No matter what I think, he seems to like me...
Is it because he's young?
He has no tolerance.
How does he show his feelings like this?
Tsk tsk.
Secret love at work is worse than a public relationship if it is discovered.
Victor continued talking while rubbing his foot:
“Since he is so special, he will not be jealous...
Even if my minister and I become together, he will be satisfied and bless us.
He is known for his kindness...
Ah!
Wait!
My pen!”