“…Have you gathered the knights since dawn?”
“Yes, Rose gave me some rare time, and I didn't want to waste it.”
Apparently Cassian also managed to leave his office earlier than usual yesterday.
“The knights will resent me.”
“Why do you say that?”
Cassian laughed as he grabbed my hand to help me up.
“You seem to have absolutely no idea how our knights view you.”
“…As a demon?”
This wasn't what I wanted to say, but it was the first thing that came to mind.
When she said it with obvious hesitation, Cassian laughed softly.
“They see you as a hero, Rose.”
“But I only remember putting them to work all the time...!”
Honestly, in the Winter Palace, the knights were relatively the most empty...
Since even servants were called upon to work on documents from time to time when there was no other option..
Because Cassian had only one assistant, the Empress did not allow the number of administrators in the Winter Palace to increase.
'If we hire more assistants, wouldn't you agree to increase them?'
Even the imperial laws stipulated that each assistant could employ only five administrators, which made arguing about this pointless for us..
Because the position of assistant was restricted to those with a noble title no less than a baron, the Empress deliberately prevented anyone from running for the position.
Truly, she is an incredibly terrifying woman, that Empress.
“Maybe because you didn't just assign them work.”
While I was thinking about the Empress, Cassian gently placed my hand on his arm and led me towards the dining hall.
“I don’t remember anything like that, Your Majesty, there is no need to comfort me with things that did not happen.”
“Are you saying it didn't happen?”
As soon as we sat down at the dining table, Cassian pointed with his eyes, and the servants began serving the dishes with familiar movements.
“Since you arrived, the quality of the knights’ training has improved significantly.”
Well, if Cassian was alone, he would have to reduce his training time to keep up with the workload, and no matter how strong he was, he would eventually get tired...
“There are other things too, but you can hear them from the knights themves in the future.”
“Why don't you tell me now?”
“It is not fair to take away their right to express their opinion about their leaders.”
The way he spoke suggested that the knights were actually talking about me, and this is what sparked my curiosity.
“Anyway, is Francis Ashwood the reason you're angry?”
"Yes."
I began to eat ravenously while telling Cassian what nonsense Francis Ashwood had said when he visited me.
Cassian patiently listened to my complaining, confirming my words every now and then.
After I got everything out of my chest, I felt that the anger that had built up inside me had faded a little.
Then, my mind calmed down enough to think logically.
“In fact, the Summer Palace relies on the support of the Imperial Palace and the Winter Palace in handling most difficult matters.”
“True, this is also approved by His Majesty the Emperor.”
Their attempt to act alone may lead to bigger problems.
The Empress was keen to present the First Prince as a competent person, but she was at least realistic enough to realize that her son needed this artificial image.
“Honestly, the Summer Palace assistants are just spoiled sons of nobles, so now they must be completely avoiding work.”
After I left the Summer Palace, they were boasting that they were able to manage things without me, and then at eight o'clock in the evening, they decided to postpone everything until the next day and left work..
'Eight in the evening?' It's barely been dinner!'
By their nature, they could not have functioned without eating.
“If there is a defect in the final accounting documents, we will not be able to completely escape responsibility.”
“The Empress will find a way to involve us in the matter, no doubt.”
Cassian nodded as he sipped his strong black tea, while in front of me was a huge cup of very black ice Americano, prepared especially for me in the Winter Palace.
“Double six espresso shots” size, a drink just for me.
“So we have to prevent this from happening.
Everything that is important is already in our hands.”
“True, and what is your plan to solve this problem?”
Cassian looked at me with a smile, even though he already knew the answer, as if to give me an opportunity to speak.
I smiled in turn.
Today, the first assistant of the Summer Palace will have to accept a proposal that may be a little shameful for him.
“...Are you now asking me to help you with your work, Assistant Salis?”
Francis Ashwood furrowed his eyebrows slightly at my suggestion.
He was an expressive man by nature, but he looked at me as if he couldn't understand it.
“Do you find it difficult to understand?
I bet you are now thinking that it would be enough if the Winter Palace only shouldered half the burden, right?”
“If you help us just this once, next time—”
“Does this mean that the Summer Palace staff can only handle half the workload so they can leave on time?”
He closed his lips silently, as if I had hit the nail on the head.
“Adjutant Ashwood, the Winter Palace staff were glad that they were able to leave work before midnight last night.”
They only see themves, really...
“Do you regard me and the Winter Palace staff as mere tools to work without objection?
Let me ask you, is Prince Charlie higher in status than Prince Cassian?”
“This...”
He wouldn't dare answer.
If he dared to specify an arrangement between them, his words would be on the front page of newspapers tomorrow, as if he had decided for himf what the emperor had not yet determined.
“So, am I below you as an assistant?”
His lips moved slightly, but he could not utter a word.
“You are the son of a prestigious ducal family, while I am the daughter of a simple baronial family, so you may have this impression.”
I smiled softly..
“But even if that were true, this is a matter that concerns dance parties and high society, not administrative work, right?”
He knows very well that the Winter Palace employees top the lists of achievements every quarter.
Although work here was difficult, applicants never ran out of jobs, because the Winter Palace offered them quick promotion opportunities, generous financial incentives, and accurate compensation for overtime.
Even the Empress herf did not tamper with these systems, because she realized that tampering with them might affect the efficiency of the Summer Palace and her own palace.
“You say ‘just this once,’ but are you so sure you won't need our help again?”
“I will make sure that doesn't happen.”
“I don’t trust you, it’s easy to say that verbally.
What would happen if the other Summer Palace aides decided to evade responsibility again?
Would you bet on the Imperial Palace’s intervention to solve the problem?”
You think I don't know?
Even if Francis Ashwood was sincere in his intent, there was no guarantee that others would do the same.
“There's a lot more I could say, but I'm too busy to waste my time explaining everything to you.”
“But if I agree to help you, it could negatively affect Prince Charlie’s reputation, and you as first assistant are well aware of that.”
I laughed sarcastic about his area..
"Well, then let's consider that the negotiations failed, and take care of it yourf.
We offered help, and you turned it down."
I picked up my notebook and got up without any hesitation.
“Since you are confident in your ability to manage matters, there is no need for any future cooperation with the Winter Palace.”
As I was about to leave the room, I turned to him as if I had just remembered something, and looked at him with a sarcastic look.
“By the way, in the Ilium cruise ship incident, when you faced the real situation, you ran away in fear, and now you talk like we are administrative equals?”
When Cassian and I sorted through the documents relating to those present at that incident, we found the name Francis Ashwood on the list.
“I didn't run away, I just—”
“Well, even if you didn't run away, does that mean we had to clean up the mess you left behind?”
I didn't want to give him any more chance to argue, so I opened the door and left.
To test his stubbornness for himf, and drown in a mountain of documents!
But after only three steps out of the room—
“Help Salis!
I will accept your proposal.”
Finally, his pride was crushed.
But of course, I wasn't going to let it go that easy just because he conceded once.
Some people realize their mistakes only when they completely fall to the bottom.
“…an attendant?”
Francis Ashwood's face hardened when I told him the title he would hold while working at the Winter Palace.
It is true that servants in imperial palaces were usually children of nobles, but in reality, unless the person was a subordinate of the Emperor, Empress, or Empress Consort, they were usually from poor families or knights of middle rank.
'Most of the time, they are just sons of 'Deputy Baron' or knight families.'
Would the heir of one of the three ducal families in the empire be forced to hold this position, even temporarily?
Of course, it was shocking to him.
“I know this isn't my place, but...”
Apparently, the constant bombardment he had been subjected to from me since the morning had made him rethink his words.
“Can’t I work as a temporary administrative assistant instead?
Aren’t you afraid it might look like the Winter Palace is taking revenge on the Summer Palace?”
He even tried to seem like he had our best interests at heart.
But…
If you know you shouldn't say something, why say it at all?
I smiled, then turned to the butler in the Winter Palace.
“Sorry, Master Butler.
It seems that appointing a new attendant servant is not possible after all.”
“It's okay, Assistant Saliss.
That's to be expected—”
But suddenly, Francis Ashwood hurriedly shouted...
“I'll do it, Help Saliss!”
Well, I have his approval now..
It's time to make full use of it to bring the Summer Palace to its knees at the feet of the Winter Palace.