Chapter 258 (1/2)

Chapter 258: Chapter 258

I wondered why he needed two days to spend time with me, but I nodded instead of asking why. Regardless of the reason, I had to keep the promise because I made it.

“Then, you are going with me after the festival, okay?”

“Sure, no problem.”

“Good. Then as you’re busy, let me go back. Bye for now, Tia. Keep up the good work!”

Carsein smiled, stroked my hair, and turned around. I was looking at him disappearing in the distance, touching my hair that still kept his warm touch.

It was already getting dark.

A few days later I headed to the Central Palace to attend the political meeting after I was done with my morning work.

When I stepped into the conference hall, I saw the pro-emperor faction members looking at me with a bright smile. It seemed that they were getting nervous because of the absence of their faction’s political heavyweights today. Duke Verita was absent during the mourning period, and my father and Marquis Enesil couldn’t attend the meeting as they were on duty.

I chatted briefly with my acquaintances, then sorted out the documents I was supposed to report to the meeting. At that moment I felt somebody was staring at me intensely. I didn’t know when she came in, but Jiun, wearing a colorful dress, was looking at me.

After greeting her with a nod, who was smiling at me confidently, I said hi to Duke Lars who happened to be entering the conference hall. Shortly afterwards, the protocol officer announced the arrival of the emperor.

When everyone was seated after showing due manners, Duke Lars rose from his seat on behalf of Duke Verita.

“Today’s agenda is about dispatching knights to the border area and implementing the budget for the National Founding Day festival. Which one do you want to deal with, Your Majesty? ”

“Hmm, let’s deal with the easy one first. How about dealing with the festival budget first?”

When the emperor knocked on the desk, Duke Lars slightly bowed his head and immediately tabled the agenda.

As they had nothing to do with the conflicting interests of the rival factions, the budgets of the knights divisions and the government were processed quickly without any problem. And this time the budget of the palace affairs office was tabled for approval.

‘Is this the start of their bickering finally?’

I rose from my seat and looked around once before saying, “I’d like to get your advice on a few issues before I brief you about the budget. First of all, please refer to the materials I handed out to each of you. ”

Most of them nodded as if they had already read it, but several began to glance over the handout only then. I waited until everyone was familiar with the contents, then slowly opened my mouth, “We had some differences about which of the three options for the three items we had to choose. So, I would like to ask for your opinion.”

“Hmm. I don’t think it’s going to take a long time to decide. Why don’t we deal with it by raising our hands?”

Duke Lars, who glanced over the handout, said, looking around, “As for the matter of the work shifts for the servants and maids, please raise your hand if you prefer the first option.”

There was silence for a moment. I had a heated argument with Jiun over this issue the other day. I proposed the first option that supported a dual shift for reasons of the efficiency of their work, while Jiun supported the second option that preferred a four shift for reasons of guaranteeing sufficient break for them. Grace proposed the third option that supported a three shift as a compromise between the first and second options.