DID YOU KNOW? YOU CAN NOW READ THREE TO SIX CHAPTERS AHEAD. CHECK MY PROFILE FOR THE LINK.
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"Welcome back, my Lady."
Sera, Kaede's personal secretary, greeted her with a graceful bow as Kaede stepped through the spatial portal leading directly into her private chambers.
As for why Kaede had returned through her bedroom instead of making a more formal entrance...
There wasn't any particular reason. It wasn't as though anyone was unaware she had returned to Maple Tree.
She had simply wanted to collapse onto her bed for a little while before dealing with... everything else.
Sera, meanwhile, had already been waiting.
The Goblina had long since made it a habit to remain close at hand whenever Kaede was in the country, which, despite her increasingly frequent travels, still accounted for nearly ninety percent of the year.
"Glad to be back, Sera." Kaede let out a long yawn, stretching until several joints gave satisfying pops. "Maple Tree's still standing, so I guess everything went fine."
Sera offered an awkward smile. "Please don't joke about such things, my Lady."
She clasped her hands together politely. "Lady Ari very nearly destroyed the marketplace yesterday while subduing that powerful demon."
Kaede's eye twitched. "...I see." She paused. "So... how bad were the damages?"
Sera quickly shook her head. "There's no need to worry, my Lady. Lady Ari has already handled everything."
"Oh?" Kaede's expression brightened immediately. "Sweet."
Sera quietly released the breath she had been holding.
'Well...
Lady Ari handled it by deducting the reconstruction costs from Lady Jaune's salary...
...the salary she hasn't even started earning yet.
The poor girl is already in debt.'
Completely unaware of Jaune's financial tragedy, Kaede wandered over to the bed and sat down with another tired stretch.
"What about you?" she asked. "What have you been up to while I was gone?"
"I'd say I hope you took the opportunity to get some rest..." She smiled. "...but I have a feeling that isn't what happened."
Now it was Sera's turn to brighten. "My Lady!" She stood a little straighter, unable to hide the pride in her voice. "This time I served as one of the instructors for the Professional Induction Programme."
Kaede nodded absentmindedly.
"Naturally," Sera continued with unmistakable enthusiasm, "I took the opportunity to enlighten our newest personnel on the proper mindset required to better serve you."
Kaede's smile became just a little more strained.
'...Oh no. She's been spending time with Towa again, hasn't she? Please don't start another cult.'
"...and after explaining the Twelve Principles of Proper Service," Sera continued happily, "I also prepared a supplementary handbook."
Kaede quietly stopped listening.
"My Lady?"
Kaede blinked. "Hm?"
"Would you like to begin reviewing the reports that accumulated during your absence?"
Kaede let out another long yawn. "I'm pretty exhausted." She rubbed at one eye.."I had to kill an angel. Maybe later, Sera."
With that, she allowed herself to fall backward onto the bed, sinking happily into the mattress before closing her eyes.
"I understand.".Sera nodded thoughtfully. "Then shall I summon the handmaidens?"
"They can prepare a bath for you."
"No, Sera."
"I see." She thought for another moment. "Then I'll have your nightdress brought at once."
"Thank you, Sera..." Kaede replied without opening her eyes. "...but no."
"I kind of just want to lie here for a little while."
"Of course, my Lady." Sera bowed her head apologetically. "Forgive my forwardness."
Silence settled over the room.
"Would you perhaps like me to help remove your armour?"
Kaede's eyes snapped open. She sat upright so quickly it almost looked like teleportation.
"You know what?" she said, already climbing off the bed. "I think I'll go review those reports after all."
She rolled her shoulders. "I'm suddenly feeling incredibly refreshed."
"As you wish, my Lady." Sera smiled with quiet satisfaction. "I shall inform Lady Ari and the others that you've returned."
Kaede was already halfway to the door. Whatever desire she had possessed to sleep had vanished completely.
Mostly because Sera had successfully reminded her that responsibilities existed. How unfortunate.
Kaede followed Sera through the palace corridors at an unhurried pace.
The palace itself was as lively as ever.
Officials moved briskly through the corridors carrying stacks of documents, messengers hurried from one wing to another, while servants offered respectful bows the moment they caught sight of the Lady Empress.
Kaede returned each greeting with an easy smile.
"..."
She really had missed home. Even if it came with mountains of paperwork. Sally's absence was the only thing that made it feel slightly incomplete.
The two eventually arrived before a pair of towering wooden doors decorated with intertwining branches of polished silverwood.
Sera stopped. Without another word, she pushed the doors open.
The conversation inside came to an immediate halt. Several pairs of eyes turned toward the entrance.
"...Mother."
Ari was the first to speak.
The young Antari stood beside the enormous conference table with her usual composed expression, though the faint upward curve of her lips betrayed genuine relief.
Unlike usual, however... Her wife Momiji wasn't beside her.
Kaede noticed immediately. Her gaze swept across the rest of the room.
Hanae sat quietly near one end of the table, a thick folder already open before her.
The youngest of Kaede's daughters looked exactly as she always did.
Elegant, calm, and perfectly organized.
Beside her sat Acer, the eldest of Kaede's children, who immediately brightened upon seeing Kaede.
"Mother!"
She looked moments away from running over before remembering where she was and awkwardly sitting back down. "...Welcome home."
Kaede smiled. "Good to be back."
Further down the table sat Cam, the Rabbitman already surrounded by several neatly organized reports.
Opposite him stood Aurina.
Even while indoors, the Antari general somehow radiated the presence of a battlefield commander.
It wasn't surprising.
She commanded the single largest military formation in Maple Tree. Over three hundred thousand soldiers.
Antari. Bovoids. Equinoids. Elves. Along with countless other races that had gradually integrated into Maple Tree's armed forces.
Even among Maple Tree's generals... That number carried considerable weight.
Aurina inclined her head respectfully. "My Lady."
Kaede returned the gesture. "Aurina."
She glanced around the room one last time before walking toward the empty chair waiting at the head of the table.
"...So." She dropped into the seat with a satisfied sigh. "What's been burning down while I was gone?"
"..."
Silence.
"...Nothing." Ari answered without the slightest hesitation.
Kaede narrowed her eyes. "...Really?"
"Yes."
"The capital remains intact."
"...That's a suspiciously specific answer."
Cam quietly looked away. Acer suddenly found the ceiling fascinating. Aurina remained perfectly expressionless.
Only Hanae continued reading her folder as though none of this concerned her.
Kaede sighed. "...How much paperwork does 'the capital remains intact' translate into?"
Ari calmly slid the tallest stack of documents across the table. "...About this much."
"..." Kaede stared at it. Then at Ari. Then back at the stack. "...I was happier five minutes ago."
Ari merely folded her hands. "The reports have already been organized by priority."
"The first concerns the recent developments brought in from across the continent. Specifically, news from the kingdom of Blumund."
"The second covers the incident involving Jaune."
"The third..."
Kaede immediately raised a hand. "...Wait." She looked directly at Ari.
"Why is Jaune second?"
Another brief silence settled over the room.
Ari answered in the same perfectly calm tone. "...Because she generated more paperwork than the integration of the orcs two years ago."
Kaede slowly leaned back in her chair.
"...Does that involve the near destruction of the marketplace?"
"Unfortunately." Ari answered without hesitation. "She behaved like a spoiled brat." A faint growl entered her voice. "Daring to issue commands to us as though she already owned the place."
Kaede let out a quiet sigh. "Well..." She rubbed the back of her neck. "I heard you dealt with her pretty quickly, so... nice job."
She paused for a moment."Other than that, you should probably work on your tempe..."
Kaede stopped herself midway through the sentence. She looked at Ari. Then she remembered exactly who the other party had been.
"...You know what?" She waved a hand dismissively. "Forget I said that."
"You did great, Ari." A warm smile spread across her face. "I'm proud of you."
She beckoned with one finger. "C'mere."
Ari blinked. A faint blush immediately crept across her cheeks. Without a word, she walked around the table until she stood beside Kaede.
Kaede reached up and gently patted her on the head. "There we go."
Ari's blush deepened considerably. "...Thank you, Mother."
Her voice had become noticeably quieter than usual.
Around the room, an awkward silence settled over everyone present.
Cam politely lowered his eyes.
Aurina stared straight ahead with military discipline, pretending not to notice anything.
Hanae calmly turned another page in her folder.
Acer smiled to herself.
Only Sera finally broke the silence with a delicate cough. "Ahem."
Kaede couldn't help giggling. "Right, right." She gave Ari's head one final pat before letting her go. "Back to work."
Ari quietly returned to her seat, her expression once again composed, though the faint redness lingering on her cheeks hadn't completely disappeared.
Kaede reached for the largest stack of documents waiting before her.
Several additional files had already been attached to the main report, making the entire bundle surprisingly thick. "...Let's see..."
She flipped through the opening pages, her eyes moving quickly over the contents.
Several seconds passed. Then one particular section caught her attention.
"...Huh." She looked up. "Sally didn't mention this at all."
Her gaze returned to the report. "So..." She blinked once. "...Dhistav and Tempest are about to become allies?"