As I woke up from my slumber, I stretched and went through my daily routine before heading out of my room. Outside, I found Andrew receiving a letter from a maid, which he appeared to be quite annoyed about. The maid quickly ran away upon seeing me, and I looked at Andrew, asking, "How many?" with a smug face.
"30 letters and a couple of seductions," he replied, rubbing his temple.
"You're quite the ladies' man, aren't you? I wouldn't mind if you took a night off to relieve some stress," I quipped, but Andrew didn't seem amused.
"Go call a maid to escort us to Elena's room. I want to have a private conversation with her," I said, signaling Andrew to go as I shut the door.
A few moments later, Andrew returned with a maid, and we made our way through the mansion's hallways to Elena Moonlight's room. As the maid entered first, we waited outside until she came out and opened the door for us. Inside, Elena greeted me with a bright smile and a bunch of papers beside her.
"Morning, Sir Lucas. I hope you had a wonderful sleep," she said, inviting me to sit down.
"It was satisfactory, Lady Elena," I replied with a smile. The room's design was strikingly different from the rest of the mansion, filled with books and other amenities, making it quite pleasing to the eye.
"Great to hear. What do you wish to speak about?" Elena asked, pulling her hair to the side and looking at me with anticipation.
"I want to discuss putting Francis on the radar of Master Calliope," I began, but Elena wasn't worried. Instead, she reached into her drawer and handed me a couple of papers.
"You don't need to worry, Sir Lucas. I stayed up late yesterday making a plan," she said as I quickly began reading it. Her plan was similar to what I would have done - create an orphanage he would sponsor, take credit for policies she made, and establish a great relationship with commoners.
"Very good," I said, skipping to the end of the pages before putting them down. "Well, I guess we can move on to the next topic."
"I would like to offer you a job as my advisor," I said, surprising Elena. However, she didn't hesitate to respond.
"Yes, I accept!" Elena exclaimed, standing up from her chair, excitement spreading across her face. I chuckled at her enthusiasm.
"Calm down, I haven't even told you the condition of the deals," I said with a chuckle
Elena composed herself and sat back down, asking, "What are the conditions?" She waited for my response as I signaled Andrew to hand me one of the files the bishop had given me.
"I want you to kill Vince Moonlight in return for the job as my advisor," I said, placing the file on her desk. Elena's expression shifted to shock as she grabbed the file and quickly flipped through the pages.
"I understand you want to get rid of Vince since he's a direct competitor, but why do you want me to do it?" she asked, still reading through the file. I could see that she had reached the part where it stated that Vince was supported by the Chancellor, but there was no reaction from her. It was a good sign.
"I could do it myself, but I want to use this opportunity as a test for you," I explained with a slight yawn. "If you succeed, you will be given the job as my advisor, and you will be a part of everything I do from now on."
Elena's eyes showed resolve similar to what Francis' eyes looked like when he resisted my aura. "I'll do it," she said firmly. A smile spread across my face. I was certain she would be a great asset in the future, and if she succeeded, it would only reinforce my assumption.
As I stood up to leave, I wished Elena luck before heading toward the door with Andrew. As we walked through the hallway, we came across Francis, who seemed less nervous than yesterday and was able to meet my gaze to some extent.
"Good morning, Francis," I greeted him, to which he responded with a forced smile that was still an improvement from yesterday.
"Good morning, Sir Lucas," he replied, giving a slight bow before continuing on his way. I watched his back for a moment before continuing on my own path.
"What do you think of Elena's chances with Vince?" I asked Andrew.
"I would bet on her instead of against her," he replied, his reasoning unspoken. I agreed - Elena was intelligent and resourceful, and I had faith that she would find a way.
We made our way outside, where the carriage was waiting with the driver already in place. I got in quickly, and we set off on our two-day journey back.
—----------------------------------------------
As the carriage rumbled along the road, I sat inside writing in my little book. Andrew sat in front of me, his eyes gazing out the window at the passing landscape. The silence between us was palpable, but it was not an uncomfortable one.
Suddenly, Andrew spoke up, breaking the silence. "Who do we send?" he asked. "We are basically done expanding in the south, so we could use one of the five knights."
I considered his words for a moment before responding. "Send Preston," I remarked, confident in my decision. "He would be the best candidate."
Andrew nodded in agreement before leaving the carriage to make the arrangements. As I continued writing, the surrounding environment was eerily quiet. There were no birds chirping, no wind signing. It was a still night, a night with no significance or chance. But strangely, it gave me a sense of relaxation, as if all the ripples and issues had been ironed out and I could finally focus on getting stronger.
In the quiet of the carriage, I reflected on the events of the past few days. Elena's task lay ahead, and if she succeeded, she would prove herself a valuable asset to me. And then there was Francis. His nervousness had dissipated, and he was beginning to hold his own in my presence. With Preston's guidance, he could develop into a strong asset to my kingdom.
As I closed my little book, I glanced out the window, taking in the dark night sky. The stars were like glitter strewn across the sky, and for a moment, I was filled with a sense of awe at the vastness of the universe. But then, just as quickly, my thoughts returned to the task at hand. We would arrive in Silverglade soon, and there was much work to be done.