(From Blue''s Perspective)


    "Mockery?" I asked, shocked.


    "Yes. Tell me, my wife. When someone mocks you, how do you feel?" he asked.


    "I get angry. Ah... I understand. If I mock my opponent even with just my facial expression, they will get angry. And they will lose bnce and I will find some of their gaps. It will be an opportunity for me," I said.


    "That''s right. Now you understand," he said. "Your movements are swift. It''s like you are a natural. But you also need to make sure that your opponent can''t predict your next move. It is not possible to do so with every move.


    If it is a knight, they will know what you are going to do next. It is very natural. Even my moves are predictable. But you need to do it out of nowhere. Do something unnatural while making sure you are safe. Cheat if you have to.


    In the end, surviving and winning matter the most."


    At first, I wondered why Dem said cheating was important too. But now I understood. It did not matter if you cheated or not when it was a matter of life and winning. Everyone would see who won, not how they won.


    "Then, I need to practice more," I muttered.


    "Everyone needs to practice. I have to practice every day too. It is very important," he said and suddenly grabbed my shoulder, pushing me forward. "But you need to rest too. Now is your rest time. How will you fight if you are not in a good health?''


    "You are obsessed with making me take a break," I said. "I am not that tired."


    "Yeah, yeah, I know. You don''t have to lie down. Just sit down for a while and drink something cold. And wash your face with cold water. That''s enough."


    We returned to my office to discuss the meeting. I gave him the record of the meeting. There was always someone who noted the whole meeting. It was very surprising how fast she wrote.


    "It went swiftly," he said. "You can manage meetings pretty well now. I told you there is no need to be nervous. You will always do just fine."


    "I think I am doing better than before."


    "Don''t be modest. It is really amazing," he said.


    "Are you all nning to tter me?"


    "We?"


    "Perita also... Anyway, forget it...," I said. "Then, honey, should we go to meet Athena tonight?"


    "Will you get any free time?"


    "I am not sure. If I can''t, then it will be tomorrow. And, I got the report on the Prime Minister."


    "The Prime Minister? What of him?" he asked. I was the one keeping an eye on the Prime Minister. So, he did not know about it. We always needed to keep an eye on the nobles and important political figures to make sure they were within the line.


    "I got the news that he or someone from his side has a connection with the temple. Now, I know," I said.


    I gave him the report Reece made. He read the report while I checked other documents. It was afternoon. Usually, I would ask Dem if he ate his lunch in time if he went out. But, I did not have to care about that now since Iris would make sure he ate on my request if Dem went to the duchy. And Dem would listen to her if he heard that it was me who requested Iris.


    "Hm, so, it is his wife. That woman always trembled in my presence. She must have been scared all the time," Dem said. "And the Prime Minister doesn''t know? Oh, please, how can that even happen? He won''t know what is going on in his own mansion, then how has he been able to tail other nobles all the time?


    He knows. Perhaps he isn''t just saying anything. It seems he is ready to get fired and die."


    "If he is not directly rted to it, how can you kill him? And you are sure that he knows?"


    "Of course. I have known that old man for a long time."


    "Well, my spies will keep on stalking them. I hate using this term, but there is no other way to describe what I am doing. Anyway, I also need to talk to the doctor."


    "Regarding the child''s disease?"


    "Yes. Judging the symptoms that the child is showing, it seems he is allergic to water."


    "Hm, I thought so too. There has been another case like this. That time, it was a maid from the pce. I was twelve then. So, I remember. I don''t know what happened to her.


    I heard that she suddenly started to get all the symptoms all of a sudden. She could not bathe or drink water. In the end, she left her job and went somewhere. I think both of the cases lead to the same disease."


    "I see... Poor woman... That must have been hard."


    "Not being able to go near water surely sucks," he said. "Anyway, I will go to my office and take care of some work. Wash your face again after two hours. That will feel good."


    I had taken off my outer coat and was only wearing a sleeveless undergarment. It was the type of top I usually wore in my world, so it did not feelstrange to wear it in my office. The people inside the pce were used to seeing me wearing these kinds of clothing, so they did not mind.


    "I will. You sure nag a lot," I chuckled.


    "Isn''t that because you don''t take care of yourself properly? At least, I need to make sure you are eating and taking care of yourself properly."


    "Thank you, then," I smiled. "See you at night."


    "Whoever finishes their work fastes to the other''s office," he said. "Let''s see who finishes first."


    "Haa, it will be me. I am faster."


    "But I read reports faster. Let''s see," he smirked and walked away.


    I watched his back until he left the room. I sighed and just when I was going to start working, he suddenly came in and strode toward me.


    "Dem, what...?"


    Before I could finish, he pressed his lips to mine. It was so sudden that I forgot to take a breath. It was intended to be a long kiss, but I ran out of breath first. It was mildly shorter than it was supposed to be.


    "I forgot to give you a kiss before leaving. I can''t possibly focus without kissing you at least once," he said and kissed all over my face before finally leaving.


    "This guy... And Calix, you can enter now. Dem has left."


    "How did Your Highness know I was there?" Calix asked, entering the room.


    "I heard your footsteps when you came. You were waiting outside, weren''t you? Dem has left and you have seen him yourself, then why didn''t you enter right away?"


    "I thought... you would need some time...," he mumbled, getting red all over.


    "... Well, whatever, have some cookies. I can''t eat all of them."


    "Thank you, Your Highness," he said and took a snickerdoodles cookie from the te. "Your Highness, will you be going out recently?"


    "I am not sure. Why?"


    "Please take me with you then," he said. "It''s been quite a while since I got the chance to go out. Others started to mock me, calling me a homeboy."


    "Alright then. Next time, I will take you with me and buy you something cool so they can''t mock you again. What do you think?"


    "I want a new pair of stone earrings," he said.


    "Great! Atst, you managed to ask for something. I will buy you it the next time we go out," I said, patting his arm and he grinned. He truly looked like a little boy.


    "Well, Your Highness seemed very sad when I did not ask for anything," he muttered.


    "I am kind of like your guardian if we forget about the part that you guard me."


    "How can I forget that part? That''s my only job for now. Besides, Your Highness is only two years older than me. Yet, you treat me like a child."


    "I am two years older than you, but I am an adult. You are a kid."


    "Your Highness calls everyone a kid if they are younger than you," he chuckled.


    "Haha, that''s right! It''s because it''s the truth. Anyway, you can sit down when there is no one else. Your reflexes are very fast. Even if you rx, you can protect me."


    After all, Dem chose him. His skills were truly admirable. I had been attacked quite some times, but every time Calix or Perita could save me. They were very sharp. Even Dem had to praise them.