“Thank you for your hard work, Your Highness.”

Betty checked the documents and let out a long sigh.

She seemed relieved after confirming that all the contents were written flawlessly.

Just in case, I also checked the documents, but there were no major issues.

There were no false parts either.

“Still, you wrote everything truthfully. I was worried you might write something false.”

“There’s no reason to do that. We also conducted our own investigation just in case, remember?”

Hayley breathed a sigh of relief and neatly organized the materials sent by Assistant Gale, who went to the Eastern region.

Although we wanted to believe that wouldn’t happen, we had brought the materials in advance just in case Daimar falsified the documents.

It contained the number of infected and deceased in the East so far, and the total amount of supplies and personnel provided.

After comparing them just in case, it was confirmed that Daimar had written without a single falsehood.

Thank goodness.

If there had been even a little falsehood, it would have been more difficult to request support.

It would have disrupted my plan as well.

“Are you really going to take this to His Highness the Crown Prince?”

As I quietly looked through the documents, Betty asked cautiously.

I raised my head to meet Betty’s gaze and smiled.

“I have to take it. Anyway, it’s true that the East needs support. It’s also the reality that someone as high-ranking as the Lord Protector mustered up the courage to write.”

“But if it’s as written there, the nobles will surely say it’s hard for them to provide much support and that you should give up.”

Betty said worriedly.

Hayley, who was next to her, also nodded in agreement.

There was a high possibility of that happening.

The situations Daimar had written were all beyond imagination.

No matter how much the current situation in the East was improving, an epidemic was something whose end was unpredictable.

Moreover, the doctors currently dispatched to the East had not yet figured out the cause of the epidemic.

But that was exactly what I wanted.

“They’ll say they’re giving up. They’ll probably argue for quarantine as well. That’s when we strike.”

“Strike then? Does that mean Your Highness will directly participate in the noble council meeting?”

“I have to. It’ll be easier for me to speak up if I participate directly.”

At my words, Betty and Hayley’s eyes grew wide.

Then they soon filled their faces with concern and began to dissuade me.

“It’s too dangerous, Your Highness. Wouldn’t it be better to tell His Highness the Crown Prince and ask for his help?”

“Betty is right, Your Highness. You know well what it means for a woman to attend the noble council meeting.”

It was not unprecedented for the empress or crown princess to participate in noble council meetings, but it was very rare and met with strong opposition from the nobles.

The same was true for those who became family heads as women, not just the empress or crown princess.

That was what Father was most worried about when educating me as the family head in my previous life.

Hayley pointed out exactly that.

“You already have a lot to do, Your Highness. It’s good that you’re directly trying to help the East in their difficulties, but you may end up neglecting other tasks as well.”

“That’s right, Your Highness. The movements of Duke Balloa have been suspicious lately as it is. I heard Young Duke Alois is desperate to find Viscount Philipa’s weakness.”

If we lose ground in the audit, it’ll get complicated from there.

Betty added with a worried voice.

“That’s not wrong. No matter how much you say you’ll let go of this project, in the end it’s a matter of the company so you won’t be able to completely ignore it.”

“And Your Highness, can you just stand by and watch Young Duke defeat you?”

Far from just watching, you won’t forgive it for even a second.

Betty, who knew me too well, shook her head as if telling me not to think unnecessary thoughts.

She said that I wouldn’t be able to let go of this matter where I stand in opposition to Lloyd anyway, in whatever form.

“You said you’d only focus on the East and North, but you also sent a message to be wary of Viscount Felice.”

“That’s…”

“You’re agonizing over when to trigger the North issue too, and you said you’d meet Lady Balloa as well. But now you’re saying you’ll attend the noble council meeting?”

You’ll get sick at this rate!

Betty raised both hands, saying it absolutely can’t be done.

It was an expression of her determination to stop me no matter what.

“Assessing one’s own capabilities is the basics of a merchant, Your Highness.”

Hayley also shook her head with a determined face.

“As someone who taught you the virtues of a merchant, I cannot agree to this.”

When the two people supporting me come out this strongly, there are good reasons for it.

At times like this, I usually pretend to give in and listen to them.

After all, they were more experienced than me, and most of all, they cared about me the most after Father.

But this time…

“I understand what you’re saying, Betty. Hayley.”

“Then…!”

“But if I don’t attend directly and have someone else convey my words, they’ll surely get twisted in the middle.”

“I fully understand that can happen. Still, if it’s His Highness the Crown Prince, I’m sure he can fully convey Your Highness’s intent. Won’t the Lord Protector of the East also be present there?”

“That’s right, Your Highness. The person directly involved will be there, so how can it be misdelivered?”

Betty quickly added to Hayley’s words.

“Anyway, it’s an Eastern matter, so the Lord Protector of the East knows it best. He’ll convey it best too. We just need to pass along these materials well so they aren’t damaged or altered.”

The two seemed quite worried about me, showing no signs of backing down.

Perhaps I should have pretended to listen to them and quietly proceeded with the work.

But at that moment…

“Do you not trust me that much? Amelia.”

Suddenly, a voice that shouldn’t be here was heard.

Leoprick sat facing Amelia alone, looking at her.

He knew that Daimar would arrive at the capital around this time.

There had been a message that he would attend the noble council meeting as the East needed help.

But for Amelia to intercept that midway…

And because she couldn’t trust him…

Leoprick looked at Amelia, who was sitting silently with a shocked face, in many ways.

If only she would say something.

“…How did you come here, Your Highness?”

As if reading his wish, those were the first words she uttered.

How did he come here, she asked.

No, it seemed she wanted to ask why he came.

That’s what her gaze toward him was asking.

At that gaze, which seemed to contain a hint of resentment, Leoprick felt an unintentional hollow laugh escape him.

Resentment. For what reason?

Was it wrong of him to come to the company looking for her?

Or was it wrong to come all the way to the company leader’s office, insisting on waiting in front even when the company people tried to dissuade him, saying it was an important discussion?

If not that, was it meeting Daimar, who was grumbling with a face full of discontent on the way here?

Unable to readily give a reason for any of those, Leoprick offered a simple answer while mulling it over in his head.

“I came because I missed you.”

The simplest and most fundamental answer.

The answer that made him come all the way here.

Of course, Amelia’s stiff face did not relax.

“Your Highness. I clearly told you I had business at the company today and left.”

“I know. But even knowing that, I felt like you kept avoiding me for days. I followed you out because I wanted to see your face.”

“Ah… that’s…”

At his words, Amelia’s face was filled with perplexity.

She must not have expected him to be this honest.

Leoprick slowly examined her changing expression and gave a bitter smile.

“Usually in times like this, the one who misses the other moves first. Since I’m the one who misses you, it’s right that I move.”

I didn’t want to bother you when you’re busy though.

As he added with an apologetic face, Amelia let out a small sigh.

“I wasn’t busy, Your Highness. I had finished all the important work.”

“Then that’s a relief.”

Leoprick nimbly observed her reaction and slowly picked up his teacup.

Fortunately, her face was much more relaxed than at first.

Quietly examining that face, Leoprick softly added.

“If there’s still work left to do, don’t mind me and work. I’m happy just seeing you work next to me.”

“…I’ve finished the work I needed to do, Your Highness. I was just about to head back.”

“Then it’s fine to go back together.”

He had just wanted to spend time together.

At the quiet addition, a faint blush spread across Amelia’s face.

No, perhaps it was embarrassment.

Whichever it was, Leoprick had no intention of suppressing his bouncing heart.

“If you have some time, could you spare a little for me? There’s a place I want to go with you.”

“…Not too much though.”

“Just a moment is fine.”

Protecting her from Lloyd, and giving her the love he couldn’t express in the previous life.

He thought that was everything.

But seeing her hesitate and be so awkward, he realized expression alone wasn’t everything.

If the method was wrong, he could find another way even now.

After hesitating for a moment, Amelia eventually nodded.

“I think a short while would be okay.”

“That’s a relief. Shall we go then?”

If her heart doesn’t open with him expressing, he decided to put in effort so she can accept it.

Leoprick decided to take the first step by visiting a place he had always wanted to go with her.

In any case, he had no intention of giving up on her after coming this far.