I immediately took Princess Dylaira to the site, introduced her to one of the five gardeners, and explained that since she couldn’t tend to the greenhouse daily, the gardener would take care of the Bracken.

After keeping Princess Dylaira busy with the Bracken supply plans, I met three more royals, all scholarly types like her, needing space for research.

There’s no need to leave my available space unused. Lending it out to gain cooperation is much more useful.

Each of them was moved by my words, ‘After settling in the palace, I missed you the most and came to see you.’ They graciously accepted my same-day visit and were again moved when I offered them the needed space. They were thrilled to be invited as my first guests.

A lie? How can one prove such on the same day? Trying to verify the timing of a 3-year-old’s visits would only draw more criticism.

After recruiting four people, I was exhausted as the day began to fade.

“Are you okay, Your Highness?”

Tula wiped my face with a warm, wet towel. Melting into the warmth, I barely managed to speak.

“Tired.”

I was so fatigued that I couldn’t pronounce words properly. Usually, I can control my speech, except when I’m deliberately being cute.

Tula, knowing my hard work, looked even more worried.

“Can’t you take it easier? The grand duke will be your shield for a while, right?”

“Shields only buy time, not opportunities.”

Timing is crucial in all matters. Miss it, and you might pay several times the cost or find some things irrecoverable.

Building connections among the hostages is one of those irreplaceable tasks.
People with different personalities, nationalities, and age groups only come together for meetings without any benefit when they suddenly find themselves alone in a foreign country. Once they adapt, why would they bother to forge new connections among those who are all in the same boat? They would likely just maintain their already established relationships.

So, what I need to focus on now is not my physical exhaustion or the grand duke’s identity. The grand duke? He’s either just a bright young child or someone like me, a reincarnate. It’s not like there are only two reincarnates in the world, including me.

Even if the grand duke were just an ordinary child, he’s not someone I can deal with. Behind him stands the Emperor with tyrannical tendencies, watching intently. What can I possibly do in such a situation?

In other words, whatever lies within that 5-year-old is not immediately important to me.

What’s important is just one thing: I have to take responsibility for Tula.

“You’re not at an age to worry about such things. So don’t worry and just learn what you’re told to. I’ll handle the rest.”

Yes, just as I did for my daughter, Yoo Hyun.

Tula, unlike my daughter, didn’t seem to fully trust my words. Or perhaps she trusted me but couldn’t let go of her worries.

But I was too tired to reprimand her again, so I just fell asleep.

The fact that I hadn’t fully digested the dinner I had with Prince Katula, or that messing up my sleep schedule could cause trouble, wasn’t enough to overcome my heavy eyelids.