Roland, who had been leaning back casually, glanced at Reina with a lazy expression. Had the woman just realized her father's absence? In addition, the people around them were now looking at her with pity.
"Since when have you been there?" Reina pointed at Roland, further making the people in the room feel sorry for her because the queen had just realized the man's presence.
It seemed that the woman had a lot on her mind to the point of not realizing Roland's presence since earlier or maybe had just realized it.
Poor man, how pitiful.
Roland sighed before answering, "Father has some business. He said he wanted to see the condition of the border directly, Your Majesty. Therefore, he did not attend this meeting and told me to replace him."
"Instead of coming to the meeting and doing his investigation later, he told me to replace him," he continued, supporting his face with his hand. He wanted to get out of this boring meeting and do other activities he preferred.
"Ah... I see," Reina muttered, her voice sounding a little disappointed.
Roland looked at Reina with a little suspicion. The woman had looked a little disappointed when she found out that Elexon was not in the palace. He sighed before continuing, "Father left early this morning, so he might be back this afternoon or evening. He told me so himself."
Of course, at that time Roland was forced to wake up early because his father had the heart to wake him up just to tell him that and ask him to attend the meeting.
Reina nodded in understanding. At least, now she knew where Elexon was and could apologize when the man returned later. Otherwise, Yosan would definitely be angry with her.
"Have you and my father made up?" asked Roland, looking at her curiously.
"I don't know, but I'm thinking of talking to him nicely and, of course, apologizing," Reina replied softly at the end of her sentence.
"Good then. It will be much better than you guys constantly having a cold war." Roland looked at his father and mother's adopted sister. Well, even though his father never intended it like that. It's just that Reina was annoyed because Elexon had injured Yosan due to the extreme training he gave him.
"And at least, please finish this meeting quickly," Roland continued complaining. Without warning, he immediately put his head on the table hard, making a thud that startled everyone in the room. "I want to rest immediately."
Reina looked at Roland lazily. The man's childish attitude always appeared whenever he attended meetings that he found boring.
"As if you've finished all your tasks," she said sarcastically, rolling her eyes lazily.
"Hey! Of course I've finished all my tasks! Otherwise, how could I attend this boring meeting!" exclaimed Roland, looking at Reina annoyed.
In fact, he had done all his tasks today from washing, cooking, cleaning the garden, to other relaxing jobs that he preferred. But still, he had to attend a meeting that was not interesting to him at all.
"Alright, alright. We'll finish this meeting as soon as possible, so stop whining like that," said Reina, sighing as she saw Roland now sitting weakly on the floor, leaning against the chair. "Now, collect all the documents."
As everyone began to collect the documents, a man sitting on the right side of the table suddenly spoke in a hesitant tone. "I don't mean any harm here, it's just... what if we lose the war later? What about the fate of the people and the Princess if that happens, Your Majesty?"
The room suddenly went silent.
"We know Arthur's cunning ways all this time, especially until he could defeat Yosan," said the man seriously. Then, suddenly his expression suddenly turned sad. "Even though, he should have won that war, but he lost because of leaked information."
"Can we do it? And... is this really the best way?" he continued.
Everyone exchanged glances. What the man said was true. They had to be careful and vigilant against Arthur, and prepare everything, including mental readiness, if war really broke out.
"This is better than not fighting at all, especially if Arthur really plans to attack us," replied Reina while massaging her forehead. Her mind began to fill with various possibilities that would happen in the future if war broke out.
"For the matter of the people and Lia, I'll think about it later. But for sure, I won't let them be abandoned," she continued, brushing her hair while thinking hard. She pressed both hands on her nose, her gaze serious as she considered various options that could be taken.
Reina took a deep breath. In her mind, she had prepared various possibilities. If the situation really worsened, she might ask her father to take care of Lia temporarily.
"Maybe I'll also entrust and ask Father for help to take care of Lia if the situation gets worse," she added, her voice softer.
The man spoke again, this time with a more serious expression. "Should we ask for help from King Turnia, Your Majesty? Who knows, he might want to help?"
Deep down, the man actually didn't want to ask for outside help. However, if the situation was really urgent, they had to do everything to defend the truth and protect the people and the people they loved, even if it meant going to war.
Everyone simultaneously turned to Reina. In their opinion, it was the right decision, but also not easy considering the nature of Reina's adoptive father who did not like conflict. Moreover, they had previously bothered the Kingdom of Turnia in taking over power and restoring the almost destroyed Kingdom of Lumina.
"That's a good idea, but I think..." A man with glasses looked at the detailed information sheet in front of him.
"I don't think it's necessary if we can do it ourselves," Harzel interjected.
"Especially since I don't want to bother them again." Reina clenched her fingers, remembering how her family in Turnia and her teacher had helped a lot in taking over and restoring the condition of Lumina which had been depressed due to the chaos of the power struggle and the war that had occurred.
Reina closed her eyes for a moment, calming her mind. This decision was not something that could be taken easily. However, she also could not continue to pin her hopes on the help of others.
"For now, you guys rest first. Just do what I said earlier tomorrow. We'll discuss it further after getting new information," said Reina finally.
Everyone nodded, then began to tidy up their documents. Today's meeting might have ended, but this was just the beginning of something much bigger.
As Reina walked down the palace corridor, her mind was still filled with various strategies and possibilities that would happen in the future. She sighed, feeling a little tired after a meeting that had drained her mind quite a bit. However, suddenly a light touch on her arm startled her.
Reflexively, she immediately turned around, ready to be defensive, but she immediately sighed in relief when she saw the figure who touched her.
"I thought who..." she muttered, one hand pressed against her chest to calm her slightly faster beating heart from being startled.
Yosan stood in front of her with a serious expression, even though his gaze was still as gentle as usual. "Sorry, I didn't mean to surprise you."
Reina took a long breath. "What is it?" she asked, still trying to calm herself down.
Yosan looked at her attentively before asking, "Have you met Uncle Elexon and apologized to him?"
Reina was silent for a moment. She shifted her gaze to the side, hesitant before finally answering, "I'll apologize to him tomorrow. Besides, uncle isn't in the palace right now. Roland said earlier Uncle was outside."
Hearing that answer, Yosan clicked his tongue softly and puffed out his cheeks in annoyance. Didn't the woman know that Elexon had returned some time ago? He knew that the man had gone to the border to check the situation, but they had met in the garden earlier when the man had just returned. In addition, Elexon also gave a cat to Lia as a new friend for the little girl, which he brought from the border.
After that, the man left to clean himself because the long journey he had taken and various activities at the border made him dusty, smelly and tired.
"Uncle Elexon has returned, Your Majesty. He even met me in the garden earlier," said Yosan.
Reina blinked, looking surprised. "Really?"
Yosan nodded. "He returned not long after your meeting ended. So, you have to apologize now."
Reina scratched her cheek. "But... I think Uncle is tired. So, maybe it's better tomorrow? Besides, I don't want to disturb Uncle's rest, and maybe he doesn't want to meet anyone first."
Honestly, she still wanted to calm down and lower her ego so she could apologize to Elexon properly, without involving her personal emotions that were still annoyed with her uncle.
Yosan frowned, then without warning, he immediately grabbed Reina's wrist and pulled her. "No, you have to do it now."
"Hey—Hey! I can walk by myself!" Reina protested, trying to break free from Yosan's grip, but the man insisted on taking her.
"If it's left like that, you will definitely postpone it again and again," Yosan replied without loosening his grip.
Reina could only scoff in annoyance. She knew Yosan was right, but still, she didn't like being forced like this.
"If you don't want to apologize to him today, then don't expect me to allow you to sleep with me tonight," Yosan added, lowering his face slightly, which was now blushing with embarrassment. "Or... I also won't tell you what Uncle Elexon and I have agreed on."