Episode 42
– The Princess and the General, greeting the people of the empire, hope for the future.
'No, I openly have a separate lady in my house. What is this? Who the fuck is the editor? If you get caught by me, you'll have to set your head on fire.'
Even as a 14-year-old Lapis, she knew right away that Elisha would be offended by this article. A man whose wife is proud to stand in public like any other woman. Moreover, the newspaper contents did not even mention that Lucerne was married.
'Why is the portrait drawn so well?'
On the front page of the newspaper, a special article was printed with a detailed portrait of the princess and Lucerne looking down and greeting the people of the empire from a balcony. Lapis quickly turned his newspaper over with his elbow.
“Tea please! I'm hungry.”
“Have you not eaten breakfast?”
“No, just. I'm hungry today…….”
Elisha didn't dig further.
“It may be like that when you grow up.”
Lapis liked Elisha's simple side. Elisha is her own portion of scones and pushes her cookies. The fruit basket on the table had a fragrant taste. Lapis didn't like sweets very much, so he bit off a bit.
“What's wrong, Lapis?”
“No! It can't be. I just wanted to tell you what kind of research I'm doing these days.”
“I'm curious. I want to listen.”
Excited again, Lapis said this and that.
Curiously, Elisha was secretly well-informed. So, 20% of what Lapis said seemed to understand. It was surprising to see that ordinary people did not understand even 1% of magic research.
Talking to her made her throat burn. Elisha pushed her car in front of Lapis.
“Other articles seem to come often. Everyone lives in your mouth, madam.”
Looking at the car, Lapis felt a bit sad. Lapis was a fourteen-year-old who knew everything. Just as I realized that I was an orphan at the age of three, Elisha was already adored by all the knights.
“Why are you wearing me?”
“Because the environment in this house has improved a lot since Madam came.”
Elisha laughed briefly at those words. She didn't laugh very often, but when she did, she was really bright, which made Lapis feel better.
“This is the first time Lapis has even served tea. I'm glad you said that.”
The hand holding Lapis's teacup trembled once. So, are you saying that you are the only knight who has even drunk tea?
“That means maybe……. Me…….”
“What is it?”
“Are you favoring me?”
What did Elisha feel when she heard Lapis' words? Honestly that was it.
'Favoritism? Why show favoritism?'
Is it favoritism to do better than others? Thinking about it……. Since Lapis was young, he seemed to care more than others.
'It's not discrimination to give preference to younger people, so it's okay to show favoritism to that extent.'
Elisha thoughtlessly nodded her head.
“If favoritism is something that goes your way, it seems like it. However, I will not set a difference with other articles in what I do externally. Because that's not fair.”
Elisha's authority was limited to setting the menu for meals for the people in the mansion or approving the provision of clothing. She was there and she couldn't differentiate. However, Lapis seemed to be pleased with her words, and her eyes twinkled.
'Favoritism…….'
Lapis, like Laz Lee, was abandoned in a baby basket at her orphanage when she was an infant. For a young and sensitive child like Lapis, the needy orphanage was hell.
The teachers at the slum national orphanage were harsh and did not treat the children with respect. Adults also hated Lapis, who was nervous and did not respect them.
Lapis would have been beaten to death by her teachers had it not been for Raj Lee's protection. Being such a Lapis, she had never received favoritism or love from her superiors.
'Then you like me more than the other knights…….'
Lapis's heart pounded. On the one hand, she laughed on her own and shrugged her shoulders.
“Oh, Lapis. I don't like sweets. Fruit would be better.”
Elisha, unaware of Lapis' feelings, said indifferently. On the table was a bright red apple freshly picked this morning. Elisha listened to the transition.
“Would you like me to shave the skin off?”
“Would you like to eat the skin?”
“No! No. I hate that shell.”
“I know.”
Elisha cut her apples with her nonchalant face.
“Shall I cut the skin into a rabbit shape?”
“Yes? Yes!”
When I cut her apple and put it on a plate in front of Lapis, Lapis ate the apple with a happy face.
“It's delicious.”
“Okay. That's fortunate.”
Lapis was in a good mood and held out her bowl for another apple. As she did so, the newspaper she was laying under her elbow fell to the floor.
“By the way, Lapis, why are you hiding the newspaper?”
Elisha asked nonchalantly. Lapis flinched and turned around.
“That is……. I don't like the quality of the articles. The Imperial Newspaper only publishes crappy articles.”
“Okay? Today's front page seems to have the same article as the Kingdom Daily. Isn't the portrait of Lucerne on page 1?”
Lapis hesitated. He rolled his eyes.
“Can you pick up the newspaper?”
Lapis hesitated and picked up the newspaper. Elisha read the newspaper. Elisha looked at the front page of the newspaper indifferently. Lapis laughed even if there was a monster in front of him, but at that moment cold sweat broke out on his back.
“I can't do the real thing.”
“Yes…… Joe?”
Lapis was relieved when Elisha seemed to be okay.
“Did you think I would be offended if I saw this?”
“What……. Yes. The general is already married, but I don't know why he's intertwined with the princess. Everyone is stupid anyway.”
Lapis grumbled. Elisha laughed lightly.
“What is this? Everyone likes it because it suits them well.”
“…… Madam is strange sometimes.”
“What?”
“Why, when I see young maids, I hear them scream every day, even for small things. Honestly, even if I think about changing the gender, I think I would have been offended by an article like this.”
“Because I am not young. Besides, I don't like wasting emotions. I know very well that her husband does not commit adultery with the princess. Even if I do, there is nothing I can do about it.”
Does the madam not like Lucerne? Lapis became curious.
'Well, that guy…… He's a very bad guy to you.'
Lapis felt sorry for Elisha. Elisha seemed to have already forgotten about it.
“Shall I peel the peaches too?”
“Yes!”
Then there was the sound of the door opening. Elisha raised her head with her knife in her hand. Lucerne stood. Elisha was taken aback.
'The butler didn't even tell me he was back.'
After her long absence, her husband returned, so it was polite to go out to meet her. Elisha put down her transition.
'Uh?'
But Lucerne seemed strangely in a bad mood. His eyes were on Lapis holding the apple slice.
* * *
As soon as Lucerne arrived home, he saw a strange sight.
“Welcome, General. Congratulations on your victory.”
Lucerne quietly returned home. The butler hurriedly ran out to greet him.
“You don't know how surprised I was when you came home at dawn a few days ago without making a sound. Are you really back now?”
“Nothing will happen for a while.”
The butler smiled. Lucerne moved into the house. When he stopped by a few days ago, he went quietly into his room and didn't even look around the house. The servants he hadn't seen in a long time hurriedly bowed.
“Congratulations on your victory.”
“Congratulations on your return. General.”
Lucerne greeted with a wink. For a moment, he slowly looked around the house. Something seemed to have changed.
“Did anything happen while I was gone?”
Lucerne asked. The butler replied.
“Very……. A lot happened.”
The inside of the mansion was a little different.
First, maids and servants were wearing uniforms. Besides, everything is brand new, very clean and elegant. The paintings were properly placed on the walls, and all the precious paintings were tucked inside.
There were fresh flowers in the vase. I watched for a while to see what had changed. The mansion was largely deserted.
“Did the servants clean up?”
“Yes, at the direction of the madam.”
“Did you just do that?”
“That is…….”
The butler spoke passionately about what Elisha had done.
Plans to improve the layout of the house, organizes the warehouse, organizes and stores the list of expensive items that have been attached anywhere, fixes the servants' shift times, rearranges the servants, creates a common laundry and staff so that they can wear clean clothes every day, Increase rest areas for employees and…….
It was a significant business reform.
“You did that in two months?”
“Two months and six days.”
“…….”
“General, I don't know if I can ask you something like this.”
“What.”
“Perhaps……. Where did you hire him?”
As Lucerne entered the office, the movement stopped.
“What are you talking about?”
“He is so…….”
The butler said with moved eyes.
“You are so perfect. I was wondering where the general recruited him strategically. It's the first time I've ever seen someone do such a good job.”
