Three hours later.
Lucius slowly opened his eyes and sat up.
Truth be told, back when he used to sleep on desks, he'd wake up with numb arms almost every time. Now, with his vastly improved constitution, such issues were a thing of the past—a perk of his newfound strength.
Yawning lightly, perhaps due to his immensely enhanced mental fortitude, Lucius was fully alert the moment he woke.
Still, old habits lingered, and some things were hard to shake.
Three hours… that's plenty of time. If those people moved quickly, they should be arriving soon, right?
With that thought, Lucius instinctively reached for the teapot on the table.
He'd been feeling thirsty before his nap.
As he grasped the teapot, he could tell it had been refilled.
However, it was likely prepared by Liliana when he'd just fallen asleep. Three hours later, only a faint trace of warmth remained.
Cold tea was no issue—he wasn't some pampered noble, so he didn't mind.
"Your Majesty! You're awake!"
A slightly flustered voice came from the doorway. The silver-haired knightly girl stood there, clutching the hem of her clothes, looking uneasy.
"Yeah, a short rest did wonders for my mental state," Lucius replied lightly.
But he didn't hear Liliana respond.
Her gaze was fixed on the fingers he used to test the tea's temperature, her eyes tinged with nervousness.
The next moment, she let out a panicked yelp and hurriedly stumbled over.
Then, to Lucius's astonishment, she snatched the teapot from his grasp.
"My apologies, Your Majesty, the tea's gone cold. I'll prepare a fresh pot right away."
Liliana clutched the teapot tightly with both hands and bowed deeply at a ninety-degree angle.
Lucius, who had been about to pour himself a cup to quench his thirst, was momentarily speechless.
This girl… she's not the sharpest, is she?
He opened his mouth but ultimately said nothing, merely waving a hand to dismiss her.
"Wait!"
As Liliana turned to leave, Lucius called out to her.
Her body stiffened like rusted machinery, turning back with what seemed like creaking joints.
"Your Majesty, is there something else?"
She was on the verge of tears.
Her emotions swirled in her chest. Could this world get any worse? When would the oppression of ordinary people by Campiones end? The heavens were empty, and the Devil Kings roamed the earth. There were more words to that effect, but fear had wiped them from her mind.
"You can take this." Lucius handed her the blanket someone had draped over him while he slept.
"Oh, yes, of course." Liliana hurriedly took the blanket, nearly dropping the teapot in her haste. "W-Wah!"
She turned to flee.
"Oh, and one more thing," Lucius said slowly, rubbing his temples.
Liliana struggled to halt her steps, accidentally spilling some tea from the teapot she held.
"Thank you."
"Huh?" Liliana froze, nearly dropping everything, her face full of disbelief as she turned back, wondering if she'd misheard.
"What's with that look?" Lucius's eyes narrowed, his tone taking on a dangerous edge. "Do you think I'm some scum who can't even muster a word of thanks for being looked after?"
"N-No, that's not it—my apologies." Liliana flinched, quickly bowing in apology before hurrying out.
Compared to before, her steps seemed a touch lighter.
…
"When will those people arrive?" Lucius asked, sipping a cup of black tea with exaggerated refinement, as if mimicking some grand demeanor.
After all, a beautiful girl had walked in with a teapot, softly asking, "Is black tea alright?"
In such a setting, he couldn't help but play along.
Though, honestly, he found his own actions a bit cringe-worthy.
So, he reverted to his usual casual way of drinking.
"Six of the Seven Sisters' mage associations have sent their leaders. The seventh is undergoing a leadership transition and has no commander, but they've sent a representative."
Liliana glanced at Lucius's tea-drinking manner and explained softly.
The Seven Sisters referred to Italy's seven major mage associations, including the Bronze Black Cross, Red Copper Black Cross, and Female Wolf.
"I see." Lucius nodded absentmindedly, refilling his teacup.
Something about the knightly girl beside him seemed off. Had she lost her mind?
He frowned slightly.
Oh well, she was always a bit odd anyway.
"Well then—" Lucius closed the book in his hand, stood up slowly, and lightly pounded his back with a fist.
Though his body no longer tired easily, old habits were hard to break.
"Let's go meet these people."
"Ohoh!" Lucius tapped the corners of his mouth with two fingers, forcing a smile.
The malice in his eyes practically spilled over.
"Yes, Your Majesty. They're waiting in the meeting room. Please follow me," Liliana said with a soft sigh, her tone respectful.
"Is the Bronze Black Cross's commander there too?" Lucius asked casually as they walked.
"Yes." Liliana's movements stiffened slightly, her expression subtly complex, but she said nothing more.
"Kranjcar! Haven't you gone too far?" The commander of the Lily City association spoke with a hint of displeasure. "To be the first to bow to the new King—when the Seven Sisters should stand united. Where does that leave the rest of us?"
"You had no prior dealings with the new King, but we did, and not on good terms. Naturally, our situation is different," The Bronze Black Cross commander replied calmly. "Besides, shouldn't you be pointing fingers elsewhere?"
He glanced at the Female Wolf's commander.
"Wasn't it her who suggested—"
"Well, well, quite the lively discussion. Is this the Seven Sisters? Quite amusing," A serious voice cut in abruptly.
"Liliana."
Lucius stepped into the meeting room, glancing back at the knightly girl trailing closely behind, his tone cold and unrelenting.
"You don't need to come in."
At his words, the other mage association commanders breathed a collective sigh of relief, while a flicker of disappointment crossed the Bronze Black Cross commander's face.
"Yes, Your Majesty." Liliana stole a glance at her grandfather and quickly complied.
She, too, felt a wave of relief.
***
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