Inside the imperial palace.
The morning sunlight fell upon a desk, illuminating a corner of a financial report where the year’s estimated military expenditure was strikingly written.
The young girl seated at the desk stared at the report with furrowed brows.
After thinking it over, she could only sigh.
Behind every victory was a huge financial expenditure: labor and materials for building walls and fortresses, salary costs after troop expansion, weapons purchase fees, and various losses.
Death benefits, monthly subsidies for families of fallen soldiers.
Merit rewards were also a significant expense.
Magic stones consumed by airships, maintenance costs, construction fees, soldiers’ armor…
“Aaaahhh!!! We’re in the red again!!!”
The girl scratched her head, on the verge of breaking down, but she had no way to solve it.
How was she supposed to pull out such a huge sum?
The rising prices caused by the war had already left many regions unable to feed their people.
Raising taxes now would be forcing them to revolt.
War was a money-eating beast that devoured the empire’s years of savings in the blink of an eye.
The royal family had poured in quite a bit of money too, but they still couldn’t fill the deficit.
‘As expected, I have to go after corruption and make those who embezzled the empire’s money spit it back out.’
Just then, she saw a leave application from someone at the bottom of the report.
Qiluo’s expression suddenly turned a bit subtle.
…..
Noon.
Everyone’s training gradually ended, and they each enjoyed their lunch.
Among this group, the happiest was Melrose, eating her homemade love bento.
A two-layer bento—much richer than when she first started bringing it.
Just as Hajime was about to put a piece of fried meat into her mouth with a fork, Qiluo suddenly stuck her head over and stole that piece of meat.
Hajime was stunned on the spot.
She was about to flare up, but the moment she saw who had stolen her meat, her anger vanished.
Qiluo wore a blissful expression.
“So good~ Not inferior to the imperial palace’s chefs.”
“Your Highness, my meat…”
“Before that, let’s talk about your leave slip.”
Qiluo took out that slip and waved it in front of Hajime.
“As expected, it can’t be approved, right?”
Melrose’s expression dimmed.
To Qiluo, she looked like a dejected kitten.
“Am I that strict?”
Qiluo fell into self-doubt.
She thought she was pretty reasonable.
“I approve—of course I approve. But there’s one condition.”
“What condition? Whether it’s working nonstop for the rest of the year or doubling training from now on, I can accept that!!!”
Qiluo’s mouth twitched.
“What kind of image do you have of me?!”
She pouted in protest.
Although on the surface they were direct superior and subordinate, because of their many years of friendship, they were more like friends in private.
Then she cleared her throat and revealed a sly grin.
…..
The next day.
Selina was in a good mood today, humming a tune while stirring the minced meat in the pan.
She’d just gotten paid recently, so she’d splurged a little on food.
Soon the kitchen was filled with the aroma of meat.
She was wearing her usual pink apron.
Just then, the doorbell rang.
“Mel, get the door,” Selina said.
Melrose, who had been lying on the table, lifted her head.
Expressionless, she got up, walked to the door, and opened it.
A girl with deep purple hair stood outside, smiling and waving at her.
‘I don’t want to open my eyes. I hope this is an illusion…’
“Your Highness…”
Qiluo covered Melrose’s mouth, her eyes meeting Melrose’s slightly parted lips.
She raised a finger to her own lips, as if to say, “Don’t reveal my identity, okay?~”
‘As if I’d dare.’
Melrose sighed inwardly, recalling yesterday’s situation.
Under the pressure of her direct superior, she had said everything she should and shouldn’t have said.
Then Qiluo had approved Melrose’s leave on the condition of bringing herself along.
‘Is this what it feels like to be dominated by power? The entire Knight Order is Qiluo’s personal guard, so during work hours, they all wish she would always stay in their sight.’
Now Melrose wished this princess would get out of her sight as soon as possible.
“Mel, did your friend arrive?”
Selina, still making breakfast, asked.
She had already told Selina about it last night, so she wasn’t surprised.
‘It’s good that she has friends. She doesn’t talk much usually, so I figured she wasn’t the type to have many.’
Selina unknowingly slipped into an elder’s perspective.
Was it because her mental age was older?
Seeing the purple-haired girl arrive, Selina chose to welcome her warmly.
“Hello, I’m Selina. I’m living with her for some reason. Have you had breakfast? I made an extra portion. Would you like to try some?”
Qiluo didn’t hold back at all.
Instead, she praised, “Oh my, so it’s you!~ Mel recently started bringing bento from home. I thought she had a lover~ I didn’t expect it to be you! Ahahaha.”
The two grew familiar in a wonderful way, chatting unusually happily.
Melrose hadn’t expected such chemistry between them.
She didn’t know how to insert herself into their conversation.
So she just sat at the table and put today’s breakfast into her mouth.
‘So good… but I don’t have much appetite…’
“Ah, I forgot to introduce myself. I’m Qiluo, also a member of the Rose Knight Order. I’m just a clerk handling logistics—not the combat type.”
‘As expected of royalty. She can lie without batting an eye.’
Melrose sighed inwardly as she stuffed the breakfast into her bowl.
Qiluo curiously looked around the place.
Since her parents passed away, she had never left the imperial palace, let alone visited her subordinates’ residences.
As royal guards, their written treatment was naturally good, but she had never seen the actual conditions.
‘It can’t compare to the palace, but it’s not bad.’
Qiluo made a mental evaluation.
This incognito visit was her true purpose.
‘It’s about time I left the palace and saw the real world.’ Qiluo thought, then put a sandwich into her mouth.
So good~
She suddenly softened, immersed in the pleasure of the taste.
Though the imperial chefs were skilled, she’d eaten their food for over ten years, so she was a bit sick of it.
Melrose picked up a plate of sandwiches, walked to the door, and placed it in the grass in front.
Almost instantly, several hands emerged from the grass and swept the sandwiches off the plate clean.
After about half a minute, those hands extended again, giving a unanimous thumbs-up for the taste of the sandwiches.
‘So all the best infiltrators in the order are here. From the numbers, she didn’t bring in specialists from other units. Our princess still can’t trust anyone outside us.’
Melrose said nothing.
She quietly returned to her room and placed her soft armor inside her clothes.
‘My beloved long sword… it’s too conspicuous. I can’t bring it. Infiltration isn’t my forte.’
She changed to a dagger strapped to her thigh.
The short skirt she’d planned to wear today was out of the question…
‘This is no vacation at all! It’s clearly overtime!’
She’d have to ask for overtime pay later.
She sighed inwardly.
She wasn’t exactly armed to the teeth, but if the princess were truly assassinated, she—being the closest one—would have to take responsibility and protect the empire’s hope.