Lloyd's POV
It's been 2 hours, and Zeke and Hale haven't returned yet. I'm so worried about them. I thought about these words while working in my desk. Sati was busy teaching new recruits on how to be guards and soldiers at his barracks while Laura was taking care of the house. As of now, Wooda's military remained small in number and lacking in skills and technology, but I'll do just that in the near future. Xerxes is back at his tribe in the southwest near the southern mountains, while Zane-san was patrolling the borders. My office is actually located in the second floor of the main administrative house, which also houses my and my subordinates' rooms, including a kitchen and dining room. I also made a bathhouse adjoining to the house. The only exceptions are Marsa and Xerxes, who preferred to live at their tribes.
"Hmm..." I think to myself for a new idea, "...if we had an investigation division, I would like to put Xerxes in charge of that division."
The reason why I think of that is that he was particularly smart.
Then, as I was immersed in deep thinking, Laura came to my office with a cup of tea. "Here, have some tea, sir."
Upon seeing that, I said to her, "Oh, thanks, Laura-chan."
I then grabbed the teacup by its holder and sipped slowly and with caution because of how hot the tea was.
"So, how's your work?" Laura asked me.
Putting the teacup back on its tea holder, I answered back, "Fine as usual."
"Okay then, so, why would you want a trade agreement with a human kingdom?" Laura replied. "We can produce our own goods."
"Well," I responded, "I want some recognition of this country's existence; at least, by one kingdom."
"I see. But why would pick Kalelis and not others?"
"Langton is out of the list because of what they did to me, and I have to learn about the others still."
"Oh, that's why. I hoped we would be recognized as an actual country."
"Yes, exactly."
Then, suddenly, Sati came in and reported to me that his new recruits are improving in skill and knowledge of fighting and defending.
Upon hearing that, me and Laura looked at him.
"Oh, nice," I responded. I then smiled.
"You did a good job today."
But when I opened my eyes, I saw that his lion tail appeared and was wagging happily, as indication that he was feeling being appreciated.
"Right, he's a lion..." I thought in realization.
Then, Sati turned away a bit while being flustered by that compliment. "Um, thanks. I think I should work even harder."
Me and Laura were surprised by that statement.
"Woah, Sati-kun, you don't have to do that!"
"Yeah, you'll push yourself to exhaustion!"
"Oh, that'll happen if I do that?" Sati looked at us as his tail disappeared.
I then nodded. "Yes, you can take short breaks from time and time."
"I see. Thank you so much, master."
He then turned and left the office.
Later, at 2 in the afternoon, a few hours after lunch, someone came to my office as I was arranging some papers containing census data and total revenue from each autonomous tribe.
"Master," one of them said to me.
Hearing that, I looked at them, only to see that it was Zeke who said that.
Hale was with him, too.
"Oh, hey, guys, you're back." I tossed the paper aside. "How's the trade agreement?"
"It's going smooth," Zeke replied first. "The king of Kalelis agreed with the trade agreement you proposed to us, only if he would come here and see our country for himself."
"Oh, he said that?" I asked back.
then replied, "Yes, and I think he would do that to see whether you're worthy or not."
"I see. When he will come here?"
"Two days from now," Zeke answered.
I was surprised to hear that.
Two days.
That's way too short for a duration of preparation for a diplomatic visit.
At that point, I felt a bit pressured to prepared for that event.
"Are you okay, Lloyd-sama?" Hale asked.
I then snapped from overthinking. "Oh, yes, yes, I'm fine. You two did a good job. You two may rest. I'll think of a preparation plan for that visit."
"Okay, thank you," Zeke responded with a quick bow, before he and Hale left the office to rest up from that long diplomatic visit.