Chapter 483: The Report and the Threat
Chapter 483: The Report and the Threat
"Your Highness?"
As Princess Veronica sat at her desk, her eyes burning with concentration as she flipped through a primary school student's homework, a cautious reminder came from outside her chamber.
"In six hours, the Ministry of Finance will hold a meeting to revise the budget. Including the time for dressing up, meeting the attendees, and the journey, you should rest now."
"Alright, I'll sleep."
Upon hearing the reminder from the female official, the princess looked up at the window and realized that the sky was already faintly brightening. She suddenly became aware that she had been so engrossed in her reading that she had passed her usual sleep time.
Carefully closing the old homework book and placing it in the drawer, the princess yawned tiredly and left her desk, heading towards the large bed in her bedroom.
Just as she was about to sleep, she seemed to suddenly remember something. Turning to the female official, she asked, "By the way, is the interview tomorrow afternoon arranged?"
"It's all set."
The female official, who was drawing the curtains, paused and replied with a slightly odd expression, "I went to see the chief editor of 'The Scepter and Horn' and asked them to focus more on questions related to... Your relationship with the Prince Regent during the interview."
"I've transcribed the questions they came up with and placed them in the third pending file on your desk. You can review them after the budget meeting tomorrow."
"Great, thank you for your hard work."
Satisfied, the princess, who had been busy all day, hugged the blanket and lazily flopped onto her bed. With her eyes half-closed, she murmured sleepily, "But remember to adjust the order in the future. Put everything related to Lyon in the Priority One file; I want to see it first."
Priority One? Isn't that the National Affairs file? I know this is your first love, but isn't this a bit too much? After hearing the princess's instructions, the female official's cheeks twitched slightly, and she silently criticized her in her mind. However, she respectfully nodded and said, "Okay, I'll remember."
"Mhm."
"Your Highness..."
Just as Princess Veronica closed her eyes, seemingly about to fall asleep at any moment, the female official couldn't help but ask in a soft voice:
"These past few days, you've been so busy with official duties that you only get four or five hours of sleep each night. Wouldn't it be better to cancel the interview and adjust your schedule to get some proper rest?"
After saying this, the female official quickly added, "Your Highness, I don't mean to suggest that you shouldn't care about Prince Lyon. I just think that instead of accepting these meaningless interviews, it would be better for you to take some time to rest and then go meet him in person..."
"That's not possible~"
Hearing the female official's suggestion, the princess, lying on the bed with her eyes closed, shook her head and said, "You don't understand Lyon. He's usually a very cautious and careful person, and he resists situations he can't control. If I constantly and forcefully intervene in his life, not only will he not accept me, but he'll also distance himself from me.
On the other hand, if I don't actively seek him out most of the time and just use some small tricks to make my presence known, and then 'give in' and visit him, he won't be able to push me away."
"..."
The problem is, who would push you away? Our Prince Regent is a bit blind! Glancing at the princess lying on the bed, the female official struggled to resist the urge to touch her voluptuous and perky twin moons beneath the sleeping gown and the slender waist that could be encircled by one hand just above the moons. She nodded slightly.
"Also, you think I'm rushing things, right?"
The princess propped her knees against the bed and lifted her head onto the pillow. A pleasant moan escaped her lips, and she continued with her eyes closed, "I know what you've been thinking. You believe that my request for the newspapers to unify their narrative and dedicate so much ink to write about me and Lyon is absurd. You might even be laughing at me in your mind, thinking that after finding a prince, all I can think about is men, right?"
?!?!?!
Hearing the princess's words, the female official's expression changed slightly, and she quickly shook her head in denial, "No, Your Highness, I didn't think that!"
"It's okay; you're not wrong. When I have free time, my mind is indeed filled with thoughts of Lyon.
"..."
The princess playfully nudged the bedding with her knee, causing the lady-in-waiting to give her a slightly exasperated look. With a mischievous smile, the princess asked:
"Let me ask you, what if there's a man who doesn't care about your family background, doesn't covet your wealth, isn't attracted to your beauty, and on top of that, treats your siblings with kindness, works diligently, takes responsibility, and has impeccable personal morals?"
She continued, "Not only that, but he also understands your thoughts, agrees with your principles, and is even willing to stand up against the kingdom for you. He bravely leads an assault on the palace to rescue you from danger, taking enormous risks. Wouldn't you be moved by such a man?"
"..."
That would indeed be moving...
"Right?"
Glancing at the lady-in-waiting's slightly envious expression, the princess beamed with satisfaction, as if she had just shown off her most prized jewel. She raised her hand and clenched it tightly with determination in her eyes.
"You should know that in life, opportunities may seem abundant, but when something significant comes your way, if you don't grasp it firmly, you might never get another chance.
For me, Lyon is that kind of person I must hold on to with all my might, never letting go. I have to fight, to seize, to do whatever it takes! Being ridiculed by others is a small price to pay compared to what he means to me!"
"..."
The lady-in-waiting couldn't help but give the princess a complex look as she lay on her side with a half-pouted bottom, yet her clenched fist still exuded a hint of dominance.
Although... it's good that you're determined, but is it necessary to be so aggressive just for a romantic pursuit?
"Haha, just kidding."
Seeing the lady-in-waiting momentarily stunned by her "love advice," not knowing how to respond, the princess couldn't help but chuckle. She then snuggled into her blankets and lay down properly, closing her eyes as she spoke.
"When I have free time, I'm not always thinking about him... probably only seventy percent of the time. The remaining thirty percent, I do think about other things, like dealing with those rather absurd reports."
Those reports?
The lady-in-waiting looked slightly puzzled, while the princess, with a tired face, spoke in a dreamy voice.
"When Joshua and the Queen were first confined, the Chancellor of Finance and the Upper House nobles caused quite a stir, even publicly accusing me of an illegal coup. Although I managed to suppress them, it still created quite a commotion.
However, after I took those exclusive interviews and temporarily unified the narratives of several major newspapers, focusing on Lyon, have you noticed anyone still discussing the coup?"
"What?!"
So... it was all your doing?!
"Coup speculations and conspiracy theories are hard to suppress when someone deliberately stirs them up. But a juicy piece of gossip can easily overshadow these unsettling ideas."
The lady-in-waiting was taken aback, but the princess just smiled and continued with her eyes closed, her voice carrying a hint of sweetness.
"Those reports caused such a stir that Lyon must have seen them too. But he hasn't come to ask me about it, which means he understands why I did it and the significance of my actions. He gets me~"
"..."
Your Highness, out of everything you said tonight, that last statement seems a bit unreliable...
As the lady-in-waiting watched the princess fall asleep unknowingly, she couldn't help but shake her head in silence. Holding her stomach filled with 'dog food,' she tiptoed out of the bedroom and returned to her own side chamber.
The night passed without any dreams.
Perhaps it was the late-night 'snack' that made her sleep so soundly. However, just as she was about to wake up, groggily responding to the alarm's persistent ringing and feeling sore all over, an attendant rushed in.
"An emergency!"
Seeing the lady-in-waiting, the attendant breathed a sigh of relief and handed her a note, his eyes filled with anxiety.
"The Cole Ambassador said that during the previous airship attack, they lost something extremely important. If it isn't found within three days, they will consider imposing sanctions on the kingdom!"
(End of Chapter)
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