Chapter 30

"Yellow Order?"

Lirika's eyes widened. While wiping ink bottles in the office, she raised her head, wondering what this meant.

Altears handed her a parchment as casually as he had given her a pile of gold coins not long ago.

"You're a princess, so you should have some land. Do your best."

Land?

Yellow Order?

Lirika shook her head. There were things she could do and things she couldn't.

"It's impossible. It's too much."

"Without even trying?"

"Even if I try, I can't do what I can't do."

Ruling land, no matter how she thought about it, seemed impossible. Altears grinned.

"That's enough."

"Huh?"

"If you know you can't do it, that's enough."

He offered the parchment again. Lirika felt dizzy.

"I can't. What about the people living there? I can't take responsibility for them."

"What? You know you have to take responsibility for the people."

He poked her forehead with the end of the parchment roll. Lirika swallowed, and Lat spoke from the side.

"Princess, you don't have to do it alone."

Lirika turned to him. Lat continued.

"Ruling land is difficult. Look for capable people. Choose someone to seek advice from."

Lirika's face fell. Who could she ask for help?

"Then it's only Lat..."

At Lirika's words, Lat blinked and smiled.

"Well, I can give you some advice. Besides, the land you'll receive, as you'll see, isn't particularly significant."

Lirika felt relieved at the idea that it wasn't a significant piece of land.

"Even if you fail, it won't cause much damage."

"That's true."

Altears pushed the parchment roll to her forehead again, and Lirika took it.

Her hands trembled.

Lat watched her take the roll. A smile appeared on his lips.

"Congratulations, Princess."

Lirika felt that she couldn't accept his congratulations at face value.

"Lat..."

She opened her mouth. Lat waited quietly for her to continue. Lirika looked up at him.

"Lat, you don't think I can do this, do you?"

She blurted it out and then quickly explained.

"No, I'm not saying anything to Lat. It's just that, you know."

How could she explain? Lirika struggled, and Lat blinked, then smiled.

"Well, not many people are good at something from the start. You learn by failing."

It was a reasonable explanation, but Lirika didn't feel it in her heart.

She pondered Lat's words.

When people entrust tasks to others, there's usually a purpose.

Some employers speak vaguely because they don't know their own purpose.

In such cases, Lirika's job was to wonder, "Why did they hire me?" If she couldn't figure it out, she couldn't satisfy the employer.

"But Lat won't tell me easily."

Did he give any hints?

Lirika pondered Lat's words.

—Choose someone to seek advice from.

"Oh."

Lirika turned to Altears. The Emperor looked puzzled. Lirika sighed and held the parchment tightly.

"I think it's best to seek advice from Mother."

Lat smiled.

"That would be good."

'So that's it.'

Lirika smiled broadly, feeling she had found the answer. Altears said,

"It's fine if you don't have to, but if you want to, there's nothing I can do."

"In many ways."

Lat nodded. Lirika carefully put the parchment in her pocket, intending to finish the rest of her tasks.

She carefully checked the pen nibs and washed the dirty ones with water.

The neatly lined up, shiny ink bottles and the delicate nibs, now clean, made her feel proud.

The wastebasket was tidy, the file cabinet was neat, and there was plenty of paper and ink.

Satisfied, Lirika stretched. She took off her apron, took the parchment, and approached Lat.

"Is there something you need?"

Lat asked gently.

"Earlier, I said, 'Lat, you don't think I can do this, do you?'"

Lirika whispered. Lat nodded lightly.

"Not to Lat. Well, I know Lat works hard."

He always works the latest and leaves the earliest. Documents are processed quickly and explained thoroughly.

"But it seemed strange that he would entrust a task to someone he knew was incompetent. Because Lat cares about the empire, and it's obvious here."

Yet, he said it was land that could be ruined, and even congratulated her?

"That's why I thought it was strange."

Lirika's words made Lat look at her intently before smiling.

"What can I do, I don't carry candy like a clown."

"Huh? No, I didn't ask for candy."

Lirika's face turned red. Lat quickly raised his hand at her reaction.

"No, I didn't think you were asking for candy. It's just that, your words made me feel, well, something."

His heart felt strangely soft. He felt this way when the Princess looked at him directly and evaluated him highly.

It's a good feeling to know that someone sees you clearly and values you.

But the higher one's status, the more such words sound like flattery. This Princess, however, doesn't make it feel that way.

Lat Sandar felt a rare, pure joy and a bit of embarrassment.

"Thank you, Princess."

He bowed and turned to Altears.

"Princess knows how hard I work day and night, and thinking about how the Emperor treats me makes me want to cry."

"Give him a break?"

Altears' words made Lat's face contort.

"I want to, but I'm afraid of what might happen when I return."

"You don't trust your lord."

"It's because my lord took away that trust."

Watching the two bicker, Lirika smiled slightly. She took a few steps back and bowed.

"Then I'll take my leave."

"I'll see you out."

Altears stood up. Lat, who was about to stand, sat back down.

"Go ahead."

Altears strode over and picked up Lirika. She had long given up on such actions and settled in comfortably.

Actually, being carried by someone wasn't unpleasant if it didn't happen often.

'If I get carried like this too often, I might not be able to walk later.'

That was Lirika's concern. As they left the office, Raub and Brin followed closely.

Altears asked Lirika,

"Are you getting along well with Attil?"

"Yes."

Lirika nodded and added softly,

"I think so."

"If you think you're getting along well, that's enough."

While walking down the corridor, he whispered to her as he set her down in front of her room.

"I'll give you your first lesson tonight."

"!!"

He slipped her a note, which she quickly took.

"Preparation. I'll come for you at night."

Lirika could only nod. It was about magic lessons. Altears chuckled at her blushing, nodding face.

"Then I'll go."

"Have a cup of tea."

At her polite invitation, Altears simply replied,

"I don't like tea."

And he vanished. Lirika was more concerned about the lesson tonight than the parchment in her hand.

'Magic lesson, magic lesson.'

Her heart raced. She clutched the parchment and said,

"I should go to Mother first."

* * *

The fire at the Grand Theater was a major topic in the newspapers.

Illustrations showed Rudia bravely rescuing a young maid from the flames.

The new Empress's popularity soared.

'An Empress who understands the plight of the poor and cares for her people.'

From being a target of ridicule, she became a subject of praise. Rudia found it amusing.

Newspapers cost money, and their content is often decided by those who pay for them.

The royal family supported some newspapers, as did other nobles.

But regardless, the hottest story these days was about Rudia.

Stories about the Empress's fashion, the inconvenience of crinolines, and how all the injured were wearing crinolines were also published.

Rudia smiled faintly.

'Let's see how the noble girls react now.'

Older noblewomen might stick to crinolines, but fashion-sensitive people would surely switch to bustles.

Wasn't the push for bustles from the beginning for this day?

By dividing the nobility and the imperial faction through fashion, she showed the influence of the social circle.

'Once everyone wears bustles, it will be my victory.'

It would show that the social circle had bowed to the Empress.

Smiling, Rudia folded the newspaper when the governess announced Lirika's arrival.

"Let her in."

Rudia moved the newspaper aside and said.

Soon, Lirika came in with light, quick steps.

"Mother."

She bowed lovingly and sat next to her mother. Rudia naturally hugged Lirika once and let her go. Lirika smiled and said,

"I would usually hug you, but I have this in my hand today."

"What is it?"

Rudia tilted her head. Lirika handed her the parchment.

"His Majesty just gave me a Yellow Order."

Rudia froze. The people around her paused, then looked at the parchment.

Rudia asked,

"A Yellow Order? To you? Suddenly?"

"Yes, I thought it was strange too... I don't know much, but I thought I should ask Mother. I'm young, so Mother can manage it for me, right?"

Lirika handed the parchment to Rudia, who opened it roughly.