Sienna felt sorry.
The reason why Pavenik had become busy was because the empire has started road construction projects and water control projects in the central region. It was Pavenik’s idea, but it was Carl who eventually handed him the overwhelming task.
“They’ll be able to relax soon. I heard that the central region’s water control business is nearing completion. Although the road construction project remains, it just takes a lot of energy to prepare, and there will not be much to worry about after actual shoveling begins.”
At Sienna’s consolation, Hain shook her head with a tired face and stretched her shoulders.
“That’s what he says every time. ‘I think I’ll be free after this work’, ‘with a new recruit coming in this time, things will be easier once we finish the training.’ I’ve been hearing this for four years. At first, I thought the emperor was relying too much on him, but now I know. It’s just that the bastard’s a workaholic.”
She said with a deep breath with a regretful face.
“My father said I should never live with a man who was addicted to something. He doesn’t drink or likes gambling, so I thought it’d be okay. But I never thought he was a workaholic.”
Ha ha-ha-ha-
In the meantime, Leah was running around the two of them excitedly. She ran so fast with her short legs that she was almost distracting.
Moreover, she was violently swinging a wooden stick as tall as herself. Hain, who had a gloomy face, smiled at it.
“Your Royal Highness seems to be very healthy. I’ve never seen her fall down even when she runs like that. She’s so strong. She never seems to get tired of running around like that.”
Unlike Sharillo, who has a gentle personality, Leah was very active. It was difficult for her to stay still for a moment.
Usually, if a young princess wields a stick, people worry about her getting hurt, but in Leah’s case, people had to worry about things around her. The furniture and decorations that Leah destroyed in the palace were countless. For this reason, Sienna was worried that she would have to separate the children from the empress palace soon.
Because of Leah, the empress palace now looked unintendedly simple. Not only the cost of her destruction was substantial, but any cumbersome ornaments had to be removed just in case the princess got hurt by the broken pieces.
So, Sienna bought a lot of paintings that could be hung out of Leah’s reach. Thanks to this, the revival of art and culture was beginning as investments were being made to various artists.
“I’m afraid she’ll grow up as in the conception dream and say she’ll go after Kraken.”
“No way…”
Sienna shook her head at Hain’s startled face and said.
“My father says Leah’s physique is better than my brother Jamie. He says she’s born muscular, and he wants to make her his disciple.”
It would never have been nonsense if it were the words of the Duke of Waters, known as the Spear of North. Hain replied, glistening her eyes.
“Isn’t that a good thing? I think it would be great if she became a female knight.”
Sienna nodded slowly.
“I think being a female knight is a wonderful thing, too. But look at Leah over there. She can’t stay still for a second, and she can’t look around when she focuses on one thing. If you teach her the sword, she might really go after the Kraken.”
Sienna was fed up with the thought of Leah running, roaring with her sword raised at the Kraken. She didn’t want her child to do such a dangerous job.
“Ha ha, don’t worry. Kraken is a rare monster that even sea people can’t meet. It’s going to be hard to meet one for the rest of her life.”
“I’m glad to hear that, but…”
“Don’t worry at all.”
Hain soothed Sienna skillfully. Sienna also thought she worried too much, but she couldn’t help it. As a mother, she couldn’t let go of her worries about her children.
“Oh, I guess the battle is over.”
At the end of Sienna’s gaze came sweaty Carl. Next to him was her father, Howard Waters.
Howard came down to the capital a few months ago. He had long wanted to come to the capital and meet his beloved daughter, but could not leave the North, which was at war with monsters every day.
However, as Jamie made great progress recently, Howard visited the capital city for the first time in fifteen years, saying he could trust Jamie. Reversing everyone’s expectation that he would only visit briefly, he had already been staying here for over a month.
Carl asked him to leave the North entirely to Jamie and stay in the capital.
Carl hated staying close with royal relatives, but he had been lacking in high-ranking aristocrats lately. As most of the current aristocrats were made up of those who had newly earned titles, he needed someone to be their core, and Duke Waters was most suitable for them.
He was loyal to the empire and upright enough to have kept monsters from the north for a long time without any personal benefit. Moreover, he was the highest-ranking aristocrat and the father of the empress. Carl realized that for many reasons Duke Waters should stay in the capital.
The Duke of Waters said he would consider it, but he stayed here without saying whether he liked being with his daughters and grandchildren. He was not making any political moves at all, but Carl thought that was enough.
Howard sometimes asked for combat when Carl had free time. Carl readily complied with this request each time in the great triumph of wanting to confront him, called the spear of the north.
In fact, Carl was no match for Howard. The father-in-law was training his son-in-law on the pretext of combat.
“Grandpaaaa.”
Leah ran at a fast pace and jumped into the Duke of Waters. He put her over his neck and carried her on his shoulders.
He looked very young even in his late fifties. It was the result of a long mana operation.
Also, as a member of the Waters family, he was quite big compared to others. So, Leah loved her grandfather who often gave her a ride on his neck. She liked the feeling of going up high.
“She must like the Duke of Waters more than me”
Carl sat next to Sienna, grumbling as if it was upsetting. Sienna handed him a towel and said, “Leah likes you more. It’s just because it’s fun riding on my father’s shoulders. Strangely enough, she likes heights.”
Carl said, wiping sweat off his neck and face.
“Sounds like you. You like high places, too.”
“Me?”
“Going up the tree, sitting in the Imperial Palace window. I was surprised every time I saw you. Just in case you get hurt. You even fell off a tree a long time ago. Fortunately, you fell on me.”
“That was a long time ago! I don’t do that these days.”
“Oh, you don’t like high places these days? If you don’t mind, I was going to ask you to go take a look at the watchtower in the west tomorrow night. It’d be pretty cool to shoot fireworks at night…I can’t help it if you don’t like it.”
The west side of the tower was a stone pagoda, which was also the tallest within the castle. It would be a wonderful thing to see the fireworks there.
Sienna knew he was obviously teasing her but said with her lips pouting because she wanted to see the fireworks in the watchtower with him.
“Who said no? It’s just that these days I don’t climb dangerously high up alone.”
Carl burst into laughter at Sienna, who was embarrassed and blushed. And he said, “Then I’ll order someone to prepare the fireworks.” Instead of answering Carl, Sienna vented her dissatisfaction with the Duke of Waters, who came to them carrying Leah.
“Father, did you stay at the Knights of Phoenix’s residence yesterday, not at the Waters mansion?”
Originally the Waters did not have a mansion in the capital. Before Arya’s reign, they had a pretty good mansion, but the family sold its capital mansion to cover her expenses as Arya cut off the aid to the north.
The northern aid was restored by Carl’s order, and the Waters’ family had financial leeway. The Duke of Waters was not originally interested in spending money. His life did not change much, though he could afford to operate the territory.
Although Carl recently gave Duke Waters the closest and largest mansion among state-owned ones, the Duke of Waters spent more days at the knights’ quarters next to the training ground than on his own.
He replied with a happy smile even if Leah was tearing his hair out.
“Yes, Your Majesty. Yesterday and the day before, I stayed with the Knights.”
“What’s wrong with you, staying away from a decent house? Don’t do that because other knights would feel uncomfortable.”
Howard asked, tilting his head.
“Everyone said it’s okay for me to stay there.”
“Of course, they said yes. You are close to becoming a Sword Master and you would ask them with your hands on that pole-like sword, looking ready to strike anyone. Who would dare to say that you can’t? That they find it uncomfortable.”
Howard said with an awkward smile.
“Hahaha, how do you know so well as if you have seen for yourself? But why would they feel uncomfortable if I stayed in the emperor’s cavalry’s quarters? As always, I’m just sharing my life and training with the knights.”
Sienna shook her head and said, “That’s the problem. How much pressure would the morning shift knights feel from seeing a duke come to train in the dawn? They would feel uneasy even if they get to work on time, and they would feel compelled to follow what you do because they wouldn’t think it’s right to just stand next to you doing nothing. It’s totally natural to feel uncomfortable.”
“It’s natural for a knight to train.”
Sienna sighed deeply, as he was unlikely to listen.
Her father was a man who had spent his entire life in the north, sword-to-sword with monsters. For him, training was an absolute means of protecting his own life.
He would not understand his daughter’s words, considering that he believes that he should not lose his life by neglecting his training, or that he should be able to extend his life even a little by training to the limit of his ability.
Realizing that it was impossible to persuade her father, all Sienna could do was to express condolences to the Knights of Phoenix with her heart.
