It was nearly noon when they returned to the capital City. After having lunch at the palace and taking a nap with Amalia, Astrid woke up, washed her face, tidied her hair and clothes a bit, and then heard an unexpected piece of news from Elise.
"Miss, His Majesty wishes to see you in his chambers after you wake up."
Elise stood by the desk, holding a tray with a freshly prepared cup of milk tea. The surface of the tea was calm, continuously emitting steam.
Upon hearing this, Astrid let go of the hand that was tidying her hair at the back of her neck, took the teacup, gently blew on it, and took a small sip.
What does Hibbort want to see for at this ti?
The delicate flavor of milk blossod on her tongue, accompanied by the unique fragrance of tea. While savoring the tea, Astrid looked at her reflection in the mirror, showing no signs of fatigue, and glanced at her smooth silver hair cascading over her shoulders, then responded softly.
"Understood, I’ll go right away."
"Elise, please help tidy up my hair and clothes again, see if anything is out of place."
The head maid responded with a "Yes," then put down the tray and ca behind Astrid, carefully combing her hair and smoothing out the wrinkles on her dress.
At the ti it took to finish a cup of tea, Astrid had roughly figured out the general direction of her upcoming conversation with Hibbort. She then picked up a silk handkerchief to wipe her mouth, and her delicate, smooth black-stockinged feet gently stepped into the stiletto heels.
"Let’s go, Elise."
’Most likely, he wants to ask about what I saw in Morin Village, and also to reconnect as father and daughter.’
Counting carefully, it has been several months since they last saw each other.
"As you wish, Miss."
Upon receiving Astrid’s command, Elise handed the tray to a maid in the corridor, placed her hands close to her abdon, and followed respectfully behind her.
Ten minutes later, at the emperor’s chambers, Astrid announced herself to the attendant and then pushed open the door to enter the study.
Hearing the crisp and clear sound of high heels stepping on the tiled floor, Hibbort looked up, his majestic eyes seeing the silver-haired, black-dressed, snow-like delicate imperial princess.
Astrid walked slowly, kneeling on one knee at a moderate distance from Hibbort, placing her right hand near her left chest, performing a standard audience ritual.
"Your daughter, Astrid Calliste, pays her respects to Your Majesty."
Looking at the elegant third princess kneeling under the desk, Hibbort, sitting on his chair, did not speak imdiately. Instead, he held his scepter with one hand, quietly watching her, as if seeing her constantly beating heart through her humble posture.
Feeling the man’s gaze on her, Astrid keenly sensed that the atmosphere was sowhat off. Her crimson eyes reflected on the gray-brown tiles, even discerning every speck of dust with great clarity.
Usually, Hibbort wouldn’t make her kneel for so long during an audience.
What’s going on today?
As she pondered, Hibbort slowly spoke.
"Rise, my dear daughter."
"There’s no need to be so formal in private etings."
Although he said so, Astrid could feel that the man before her was different from usual. His lion-like eyes seed to see through her thoughts.
Letting go of the hem of her skirt, she slowly stood up, directly eting Hibbort’s gaze, and spoke actively.
"Father, why have you summoned ? Is there sothing you wish to discuss with your daughter?"
Facing the supre ruler of the empire, even the usually calm Astrid felt a bit nervous, especially since the aura he was showing now was not as gentle as before.
Like an unsheathed sword.
Hearing Astrid’s words, Hibbort’s eyelids twitched slightly, and the probing gaze seed to fade a bit upon hearing the word "daughter."
"I heard you went to Duke Charles’s territory so ti ago, that remote village called Morin."
"How was the trip?"
Having guessed previously that Hibbort would ask about the trip, Astrid moistened her throat and softly replied.
"Reporting to Your Majesty, the trip went very smoothly. In my leisure ti, I saw many things that are not visible in the capital."
Hibbort’s gaze fell on Astrid’s clear red eyes, his chiseled face showing no obvious movents.
"Can you tell what those things are that are not in the capital?"
"I’m curious."
Listening to the man’s deep and aged tone, Astrid slowed her voice.
"If Father wishes to hear, of course I can."
Astrid didn’t believe that with Hibbort’s information network, he wouldn’t be able to find out what she did in Morin Village, or at least get a general idea.
But since he said so now, as a daughter, she had no need to hide it from Hibbort.
She detailed her observations in Morin Village, including the backward rural roads, the connected granaries, and the wheat fields cultivated by oxen. Looking into Hibbort’s eyes, Astrid spoke with neither humility nor arrogance.
"...I originally wanted to see how the farrs planted barley, but unfortunately, the sumr vacation of the Elizabeth Academy of Magic only lasts until the end of August, and the planting season for barley in Morin Village is from September to October."
"When my studies are less busy in the future, I can go back and take a look."
Although unsure of what kind of answer Hibbort wanted, speaking the truth would never be wrong. After her speech, Hibbort showed no significant change in expression, mostly just nodding slightly to show his approval of Astrid’s words.
"Besides Morin Village, where else did you go?"
"Reporting to Your Majesty, I also went to Kost Town near Morin Village."
"How did Kost Town compare to the capital?"
"Overall, it’s a very suitable frontier town for living."
"..."
Without discussing political affairs or any sensitive interest topics, Hibbort only asked about the scenery Astrid had seen along the way. Even his attitude gradually softened from the initial sharpness.
Feeling that Hibbort’s mood had changed sowhat, Astrid breathed a slight sigh of relief, and the conversation began to extend, talking about the local specialties she brought back for Hibbort from the countryside.
"Father, I also brought you a gift from this trip."
Seeing the ruby on Astrid’s chest glow slightly, Hibbort, noticing the spatial ripple, slightly touched the gem at the top of the emperor’s scepter, temporarily lifting the anti-magic field.
In the next second, a transparent glass-encased flower specin with a delicate white corolla and a lustrous appearance appeared in Astrid’s palm.
"This is a honeysuckle I picked at the entrance of Morin Village. It was preserved with a clear solution and fixed in glass to make a flower specin."
"I don’t know if Father will like it, but this honeysuckle was the best one I saw in the wild. I hesitated when picking it, worried that I wouldn’t preserve it well."
"From the result, I think I did a decent job."
Walking to the desk, she placed the flower specin on it. After Astrid took a step back, Hibbort gently picked up the glass, his erald eyes reflecting the bright white of the flower.
It was a fresh white flower, with a touch of natural charm.
His eyes swept over the tender white petals and lanceolate leaves, with light green stems at the bottom. Under the preservation of the clear solution, this honeysuckle retains its state before being picked. Hibbort could even feel a vigorous and exuberant vitality from it, sothing he had long lost.
After a mont of silence, Hibbort slowly spoke.
"Thoughtful."
Honeysuckle is known for its hardiness and vigorous vitality, representing the Valeria Empire.
Hearing this, Astrid curved her lips and replied softly.
"I’m glad Father likes it."
Originally Answered: Why? She didn’t pick this flower specifically to please Hibbort, but seeing the tenaciously growing honeysuckle in the wilderness, it inevitably reminded her of the emperor, who now sits high on the throne but whose life is already in its twilight.
Amalia’s hatred for her biological father’s inaction is understood. After all, Hibbort did owe his biological daughter. But as the third princess who has been cared for by him, Astrid still holds so daughterly affection for this father, who shares no blood with her.
Looking closely, the wrinkles at the corners of Hibbort’s eyes seem to have beco denser. Without using elental vision, she could sense a hint of fatigue in his otherwise strong aura.
Hibbort didn’t say much, just continued to examine the honeysuckle specin in his hand, his thoughts seed returning to the past. After a while, he spoke.
"So much ti has passed in the blink of an eye..."
Back then, he was also full of vigor, traveling across the vast empire, possessing a healthy body and trusted friends.
Now, more than twenty years later, his old friends have passed away, and he is left with a sickly body, waiting for death on the noble throne.
Opening his eyes again, Hibbort looked at Astrid with a bit more affection, and after a long ti, he spoke.
"I like this gift very much."
Compared to those two incompetent sons, Astrid is more to his liking.
.........
Half an hour later, Astrid left the study. Seeing her, Elise, who had been waiting outside for a long ti, quickly followed. The mistress and maid walked one after the other on the stone path back to the palace.
The afternoon sun was slightly hot, and Astrid quickened her pace. The decorative black sash at her waist swayed up and down with her steps, bringing waves of fragrant air.
Hibbort’s attitude today was sowhat strange, not like the usually kind and gentle father.
Although in the subsequent casual conversation, the man quickly returned to the familiar demo Astrid knew, the atmosphere at the beginning of their eting was clearly off. The longer-than-usual kneeling seed like a warning or an expression of dissatisfaction.
Was it just a bad mood, or sothing else?
During her two days of rest at the earl’s estate, Astrid learned from Charlotte about so recent events in the capital, including the serious dissatisfaction expressed by Duke Cassian Ashwick, one of the four dukes, over the mineral export terms, and the unreasonable demand from the Kingdom of Velvys to unilaterally increase the goods tax.
But these shouldn’t be the main reasons affecting Hibbort. In Astrid’s view, this emperor always keeps things clear and doesn’t let his negative emotions spread to those around him, especially his beloved daughter.
Could it be that her recent series of actions have caused Hibbort to feel so sense of crisis?
Starting a newspaper, supporting the reform of magical equipnt, befriending the Velmont family, and now seems cultivating her own loyalists.
If Astrid also had royal blood and hadn’t sided with Lucas, such actions would only make others think she had aspired for the throne.
Entering the garden, the marble pavilion blocked the direct sunlight, making the surroundings slightly cooler. Astrid narrowed her beautiful eyes, watching the white sunlight fall on the glazed tiles, refracting colorful hues.
In Hibbort’s eyes, she, who had promised not to get too close to Lucas, was clearly not a supporter of the crown prince. As a political faction that only needed self-preservation and had no role in the struggle for the throne, the power she currently had at her disposal was slightly over the limit.
The potential of the Empire Weekly, her growing political background, and her extraordinary magical talent, her developnt was too fast, vaguely having the power to influence the succession. No matter how deep their father-daughter bond, Hibbort would have to pay attention to her movents.
"..."
But for Amalia to ascend smoothly, Astrid must try to win over other forces, after all, no one can guarantee that with her as a variable, Lucas and Alistair will still destroy each other, ultimately letting the princess pick up the pieces.
Things have undoubtedly beco more complicated.
Entering the third princess’s palace, slling the familiar fragrance in the corridor, Astrid, back in her own territory, relaxing a bit, her eyes regaining their firmness.
Since Hibbort has already noticed her, overthinking is useless.
At least for now, Hibbort hasn’t made any moves against her, such as suggesting she transferred the publishing rights of the Empire Weekly to Lucas, making all her efforts a wedding dress for the crown prince.
Thinking of this possibility, Astrid raised her hand to her chin, calmly considering counterasures.
Whether it happens or not, she must be prepared.
"Elise, later give a list of the personnel responsible for the Empire Weekly."
Previously, to ensure the quality of the weekly, she had the head maid hire many external mbers, who participated in the production of the newspaper through training and assessnt. Now, to make this organization completely her own, Astrid must implant loyalists into it, branding it to ensure that even if sothing unexpected happens, even if it falls into Lucas’s hands, the Empire Weekly will only be a ti bomb for him.
She still has a lot of dirt on the crown prince, especially the crystal stone recording Lucas’s actions in the capital’s suburbs. Although it can’t be a decision blow, it can provide Alistair with an opportunity to make a decision move.
"Alright, Miss Astrid."
Elise softly acknowledged the order.
Reaching the bedroom door, Astrid reached out to the handle, thought for a mont, then turned around and went to the room diagonally across.
Amalia was sitting at the desk reading a book. Seeing Astrid co over, the white-stockinged feet that weren’t touching the ground stepped onto the carpet, and she walked briskly to her sister.
"Sister?"
Holding the warm and soft white-stockinged loli in her arms, watching Rhine eating in the corner, Astrid softly spoke.
"Just ca to see what my little princess is doing."
Actually, there is another small possibility for Hibbort’s behavior, but Astrid thinks that if it really is that, then even if she considers it, there’s nothing she can do.
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