“I nonetheless do not perceive why you want to personally meet this… ‘individual’ your self your majesty. I apologise if I seem impolite however might I remind you that it’s potential for I to-“

“Are you questioning your emperor Erika?”

Erika froze for a brief second when she was interrupted earlier than she was capable of regain her composure and reply correctly. If there was one factor that Erika improved upon in the previous couple of years, she would say it might be the enhancements she made in these elements of herself.

Whereas sporting a slight smile and holding her skilled disposition with each arms behind her again, Erika replied to Maxwell.

“No your majesty. Please forgive me for my impudence.”

As Erika bowed her head barely in reverence and courtesy, Maxwell shrugged casually earlier than he responded to Erika. Whereas leisurely leaning again onto the furnishings, Maxwell waved his hand as he accepted Erika’s apology.

“Apology accepted. You’re forgiven. Nevertheless, since it might appear that his ‘previous buddy’ has but to reach… Why do not you learn me the weekly report once more Erika.”

With out even understanding it, Erika barely tilted her head as she questioned Maxwell.

“Once more? Your majesty I’ve already learn you the weekly report an hour ag-“

“I do know however I’ve low-key OCD and the passage of time with out something occur is bugging me. I am not hungry at this second and I haven’t got the rest to do.”

Though Erika was caught barely of-guard by Maxwell’s unusual time period; ‘OCD,’ her years of expertise and recollections with him shortly flooded again into her thoughts and allowed her to shortly grasp what he meant.

In that second, she realised that after once more, she had offended her emperor.

“M-my goodness. Your majesty, I apologise for my carelessness. To suppose that I might neglect about such an essential side of his majesty.”

Like earlier than, Erika barely bowed her head in reverence as she apologised.

“I am sorry that you simply have been compelled to witness such a show of incompetence and insolence. To neglect such a vital element, whereas I do know it’s egocentric however please forgive me for my impudence.”

When Maxwell noticed Erika as soon as once more apologise and courteously bow in reverence, he sighed in what seemed to be a drained method earlier than he spoke up.

“Apology… accepted…”

As soon as once more forgiven by Maxwell, Erika could not assist however present her gratitude to him.

“Thanks very a lot your majesty, to forgive somebody who made such an unforgivable mistake as I did, you’re really benevole-“

“Sure, sure simply… simply learn me the report already please.”

At that second, Erika realised simply how a lot of Maxwell’s time she had been losing. With that in thoughts, Erika spoke up.

“Sure your majesty.”

Within the gentle coming by Maximinus palace parlour’s home windows, Erika learn out the report she held in her arms. Though she already knew and memorised all of its contents, she nonetheless needed to uphold the formalities. She could not afford to offend the emperor once more in any case.

“The Imperium of Drussia’s treasurer; Keizwell Garno Dunnwal has confirmed that the Imperium’s funds and funds continues to be within the constructive, particularly after the vassalization of Demark and the settlement of commerce rights between the nations of the Confederation and with the Fench Empire.”

Erika did not know what it was precisely however she noticed ‘one thing’ in Maxwell’s eyes as she learn out the report. A form of ‘glimmer’ or ‘sparkle.’ As if he was ‘happy’ with Erika’s actions.

No matter, it was, Erika knew that it might nonetheless be a part of her creativeness.

Nevertheless, that did not cease Erika’s mouth from subconsciously curving upwards right into a smile as she learn out the report.

“He has additionally confirmed that due to commerce with the Kingdom of Shweden and tributes from the Protectorate of Demark, our present charge of iron provide will quickly result in a surplus if stated sources aren’t diverted into different tasks.”

Erika paused for a second to suppose to herself earlier than she continued.

“If I bear in mind appropriately, you wished to divert these sources into the ‘Sanitation and Sewerage Mission’?”

Whereas lounging backwards, Maxwell nodded in approval as he answered Erika’s query.

“Sure I do, thanks for remembering.”

“Your gratitude is really appreciated your majesty.”

With a heat smile on her face, Erika went to proceed on her report.

“Following on from that, the commander-in-chief of the Imperial Drussian Armed Forces.: I, Erika Bismark Pollorov have confirmed that the speed of military recruitment and coaching has continued on the regular pre-determined tempo. There are at present no issues with any side of our army develo-“

Nevertheless, her report was quickly interrupted by a rhythmic knocking on the parlour’s doorways.

Quickly after, Maxwell took a fast look at Erika telling her every part she wanted to do.

Inside moments, Erika moved to the door earlier than questioning the one who knocked.

“Who’s it?”

Though Erika hoped that the individual on the door was not that ‘previous buddy’ that Maxwell was referring to, her hopes have been quickly dashed as a voice that got here throughout the door grated Erika’s ears.

“Do not inform me that you simply forgot already Erika. It is your ‘favorite feminine buddy.'”

“Sure.”

Though begrudgingly, Erika was capable of drive to herself to present a correct and respectful reply as she opened the door for her ‘buddy.’

Quickly, with the door opened, the ‘buddy’ got here into view.

She was a noblewoman, in all probability round if not the identical age as Erika. Her pitch-black hair was tied right into a single lengthy pony tail that rested gently on her shoulders, revealing her sickening pair of golden eyes. She wore a largely black noble apparel which had golden outlines on the trims paired with white silk gloves and boots.

Her title was Michelle Van Dyme.

And Erika hated her.

Inside moments, Michelle stated one thing that Erika simply couldn’t tolerate.

“Thanks for dealing with the door, Erika however I am afraid that your providers are not required right here.”

With each arms behind her again, Erika someway managed to maintain her skilled disposition and smile as she responded to Michelle’s insolence.

“Excuse me girl Dyme however what do you imply by such a factor?”

When Michelle heard Erika’s query, a form of devilish smile appeared on the previous’s face as she responded to the latter. The truth is, it was stated in such a mockingly ‘harmless’ method that Erika was tempted to only shoot the bitch on the spot.

“Nicely… nobody likes a 3rd wheel.”

Erika’s jaw dropped the second she heard Michelle’s reply. She utterly ignored how Michelle was even conscious of the time period ‘third wheel,’ one other time period that was invented by Maxwell and as a substitute targeted on the truth that Michelle simply referred to Erika as a ‘third wheel.’

Whereas she was conscious that she needed to preserve her composure not just for her sake, however for Maxwell’s sake as nicely, she not held management over her personal physique as she felt her arms tense up into fists whereas she shouted in anger at Michelle.

“What the hell are you saying! You are appearing as should you spent extra time with Maxwell than me! As should you’re nearer to Maxwell than me!”

Whereas she stored her arms behind her again, Erika quickly felt a ‘moist’ feeling which was accompanied with a barely sharp ache within the locations the place her fingers have been digging into her palms.

However, Michelle to be utterly unfazed by Erika as she continued to reply to Erika in a mockingly playful method.

“Am I?”

Erika did not know why, however she was left completely speechless by Michelle’s comment. Simply how might somebody like Michelle get to Erika that a lot? It simply does not make any sense.

Quickly, Erika’s mouth moved by itself as she shouted her reply.

“A-are you?!”

Nevertheless, Michelle solely smirked in response to Erika. Left with no alternative, Erika turned to Maxwell earlier than continuing to ask him the identical query.

“Is she?!”

However to Erika’s dismay, Maxwell replied with one thing that she would have by no means even conceived as a chance.

“Erika. Do as she says.”

Erika could not even muster the energy to maneuver her mouth within the face of Maxwell’s orders. She knew that she needed to observe them, that she should observe them. And but, she simply could not deliver herself to do it.

Seeing Erika’s response, Maxwell sighed sombrely earlier than he confirmed his orders.

“Erika. Please go away. “

This time, Erika was capable of transfer her mouth as she stuttered out no matter was in her thoughts whereas on the similar time pointing her finger at Michelle.

“Le-leave?! However tha-that would depart you together with her! It is a potential hazard to your security, please rethink thi-“

“Erika. Please do as I say.”

Nevertheless, Maxwell was unmoved by Erika’s pleas.

Seeing, that her actions have been all solely accomplished in useless, Erika compelled herself to adjust to Maxwell’s orders.

“Sure your highness.”

Left with no alternative, Erika might solely settle for actuality as she bowed reverently to Maxwell earlier than she proceeded to make her go away.

However not with out giving Michelle a chilly look on her manner out first.

…

“I do not know if I instructed you this earlier than however I fairly like her.”

Michelle could not assist instantly letting out a comment the second that Erika’s footsteps can not be heard. The response she obtained from Maxwell was a moderately blunt but informal sentence.

“She desires to kill you. You may at the very least make it so I do not really feel unhealthy for her once you drive me to inform her off.”

“Ahahah, sadly for you, that is none of my concern.”

Michelle chuckled as she fell onto the seat reverse Maxwell earlier than starting a dialog with him.

“So how are you right this moment Leon?”

When Maxwell heard Michelle’s query, he shook his head in disappointment as he answered her.

“You realize I do not reply to that title anymore.”

Michelle let loose a chuckle when she heard Maxwell’s reply earlier than she spoke.

“After all you do not.”

Since there was no level in pursuing that vacant path any additional, Michelle as a substitute determined to alter gears as she modified the topic of the dialog.

“So I hear that you’re introducing sewer techniques and sanitation into your core cities. Feeling homesick are you?”

“You may say that, I simply wished my nation to really feel a bit extra homely that is all.”

Maxwell continued to lounge about leisurely on his seat as he spoke with Michelle.

“In addition to once you’re the emperor, nearly something is feasible. In addition to the Roman counterparts of this world had sewerage techniques too so it actually wasn’t too onerous to persuade my administration that such an endeavour was potential. It nonetheless astounds me how sewerage did not turn out to be commonplace till the late centuries.”

Michelle couldn’t assist letting out a light-weight chuckled as she spoke.

“That’s so such as you to aim such a factor… talking of which…”

As the 2 of them spoke, a sudden realisation quickly got here into Michelle’s thoughts. A realisation that she wished to share with Maxwell.

“Waging wars, conquering international locations, main your nation in your preferences. Aside from all this truly being actuality, this positive does really feel like previous occasions does not it?”

Maxwell solely shrugged casually in response to Michelle earlier than he spoke.

“I am not going to agree or disagree with that sentiment.”

Quickly after Maxwell stated that, Michelle observed the chess set to her proper that was mendacity on the espresso desk. It did not take lengthy for an concept to come back to her head. With a smile, Michelle went to make a single request to Maxwell.

“So… Do you wish to play a recreation?”

Maxwell returned the smile to Michelle earlier than he gave her his reply.

“You are on.”