It's been a while since what happened in Crystal. I stayed in the country for a few weeks while recovering from the injury I got during the museum visit with Emi. The royal family of Crystal apologized deeply to me, although it wasn't their fault to begin with. Their apologies were sincere, but there really was no need for that.
Right after the incident, the Kingdom of Crystal started a furious pursuit of the culprits. Unfortunately, no trace of them was found, and even the descriptions I provided to help in the search weren't enough to locate and apprehend them. Anyway, after my full recovery, we all returned to the Kingdom of Solis. Emi and her family went back to the castle, while my family and I headed to our territory.
Before we returned, I insisted on taking a stroll with Anna, exploring various places and trying out various foods and sweets from the country. It was a pleasant way to relax after the recent events. Currently, the past events have turned into distant memories, but they still remain vivid in my mind. Although we faced difficult moments in Crystal, I can't deny that good things also happened. The time I spent with Emi was truly special, and our bond grew even stronger. Moreover, it was in Crystal that we shared our first kiss, a moment I hold dear in my heart.
"Ughhh, remembering that, a smile forms on my face"
These words came naturally from my lips as I gazed at the landscape beyond the window, focusing especially on the garden. Lately, whenever I think of Emi, an involuntary smile appears on my face. Although my parents ask if something is happening, I usually reply that it's nothing. As these thoughts filled my mind, the door opened, drawing my attention to the new visitor.
"Ren-sama, here's your tea"
Hana said, carefully carrying a tray. As she approached, she took a cup that was on the tray and placed it on a small plate on my table.
"Thank you, Hana"
I replied, picking up the cup and bringing it to my lips. The sweet taste spread in my mouth, bringing a relaxed smile to my face. By the way, I had already asked Hana and Oliver to stop treating me so formally with 'sama,' but it seems to be a barrier they don't want to break. Personally, I consider them practically family, and they are the servants I trust the most. Even when I went to Crystal, I left some matters in their care. Of course, they were issues that initially didn't require my supervision because trusting them doesn't mean transferring all my work to their hands.
"Is there anything important scheduled for today?"
I asked, turning back to the window that gave a view of the garden. Upon hearing my question, Hana took a small notebook and flipped through it for a few seconds before closing it and replying.
"There's nothing that requires your presence, Ren-sama. The people we appointed to the positions are handling the matters"
Hana said. Agreeing with a nod, I began to ponder and decided to take a quick look at it.
"Hana, I'm going to the laboratory. If someone looks for me, tell them I'm busy"
I informed. In response, Hana nodded and made a slight bow.
"As you wish, Ren-sama"
Replied Hana. Seeing that, a soft sigh escaped my lips. Even though I had asked Oliver and Hana several times not to treat me with so much formality, Hana still insisted on it.
"You know that bothers me, right?"
I asked with a frown on my face. Hearing my words, Hana opened a lovely innocent smile.
"What do you mean by that?"
Hana asked. Seeing this gesture, only one thought crossed my mind.
(She definitely knows)
I let out another sigh as I bid farewell to Hana and boarded a carriage headed for the laboratory. The location was in an isolated area, restricted only to authorized personnel, but as the lord of these lands, I had free access. Upon arriving at the laboratory, I stepped out of the carriage and was greeted by the two chief scientists, a couple, who ironically were also husband and wife.
As soon as they saw me, both expressed smiles on their faces. After exchanging brief words, we immediately headed to the military development sector, where we studied military technologies that could be implemented in Solaris in the future.
"About the equipment I asked you to develop. What is the current progress?"
I inquired as we walked down the corridor. The man promptly replied, with visible enthusiasm in his voice.
"Sure, Ren-sama! We have achieved good results lately, thanks to the detailed draft you provided us. All that's left is to conduct the tests, and after that, we'll be ready for mass production"
The man said with a smile on his face. Upon hearing his words, another concern arose in my mind. I knew exactly what he was talking about and, consequently, understood how lethal this technology could be if used incorrectly. That was also one of the reasons why we were developing it secretly there. Of course, I had already informed the king about the project, but to be honest, I doubted if he truly understood the potential it had to influence wars.
Sighing with these thoughts, we continued down the corridor until we reached the door with the sign 'Advanced Equipment Development.' Confirming the location, we all entered. Inside, several people moved back and forth, carrying objects or reading papers. Everyone was committed to improving the technology we had or even creating new ones. While some were immigrants from other countries, others were people from the kingdom itself, sent there by the King. The environment buzzed with the enthusiasm and dedication of each one in search of technological progress for Solaris.
We continued to walk until we reached a closed room with a table. On top of it lay a white-painted metal object, surrounded by other aerodynamic metal objects. I walked slowly to the metal object and picked it up in my hand, that was the first time in my life that I held a weapon.