The unprecedented emergence of the spirit stone mine caused the Empire to be rocked.
The nobles being tired of Duke Javierâs campaign, were almost festive. The news of break-up between families was busy shooting through the system.
That news soon reached the news of the stand-in-Emperor, Esteban. He summoned his former aide immediately.
âSuddenly, there was a mine I didnât know of.â
ââŚâŚhaha. Congratulations.â
âGustav.â
He tried to get away with it, but the stand-in-Emperor was not easy.
âDamn it.â
The results were good, but if itâs found out that it was unknown before the results came out, he would definitely be shocked.
But what can he do? It has already happened.
âAbout thatâŚâŚ There was an approved document that I had also never seen before.â
âWhat?â
Esteban crumpled his face. In a reproachful glance, Gustav hurriedly shook his hands and make excuses.
âI never meant to! Doesnât Your Majesty know that? Iâm a perfectionist in my own way. Someone must have done it on purpose!â
Estebanâs expression was slightly loosened. This is because he admitted that his former aide is competent.
Worried that Estebanâs mood might go down again, Gustav hurriedly added an explanation.
âThe document with handwriting I had seen for the first time was mixed between the documents that were approved. It was a document asking to buy the waste mines in bulk, which were not worth much.â
âHow did you know there were Spirit stones in the mine?â
âPlease wait a minute.â
Gustav rushed to present the document in question to Esteban.
After receiving the document, Esteban roughly looked over the document.
âThe handwritingâŚâŚâ
âI think he is left-handed.â
âI suppose.â
Otherwise it couldnât be more perverse.
âTch.â
Esteban clicked his tongue from the barely legible writing, and began to focus on the content again.
It was an ordinary document with good layout, except for the handwriting.
âLook at the writing in the corner on the next chapter, Youâre Majesty.â
Esteban turned over the sheet of paper. There was small writing in the corner, as Gustav said.
-High possibility of spirit stones.
âItâs written as if heâs seen it.â
âYes. A week after the mine was mined, spirit stones were found.â
Who would there be, just when Duke Javier was on a roll.
âMarquis Gardenia?âŚâŚThat old man wouldnât do a favor for me.â
There was no suitable figure in mind.
Besides, it was none other but a spirit stone mine. It would be natural to take the profits yourself than to hand them over to the royal family.
The fact that there is a mine owned by Duke Javier can dampen the momentum anyway.
âJust what the hell was in his head that he turned over a spirit stone mine to someone else?â
âI know. But isnât it a good thing for the Imperial family?â
Several candidates came out, but all were rejected.
âLook into those who came by the Emperorâs office at that time.â
âAs you know, itâs almost my own office, so thereâs almost no one going in or out. A maid who comes by for tea and a maid whoâs in charge of sleeping.â
âLook into them. Weâll have to make a thorough investigation without missing anyone.â
It seemed like the case of the spirit stone mine was over, but Gustav raised his head with an âah!â exclamation.
âThere is one more.â
âWho.â
âThe Emperor stopped by once.â
Esteban smiled and looked back at the papers.
No matter how much of a genius she is, a child who doesnât even know how to write canât write documents.
Suddenly, he remembered the day he saw Mabel in the office.
âWas it that day? The cute Mabel with her hair tied in pigtails gave me the rabbit doll.â
ââŚâŚâ
Gustav was speechless.
âYou remember all that?â
Gustav swallowed the question in his mind, fearing that he was around the daughter of the stand-in-Emperor for two days and one night.
Gustav would be surprised to learn that Esteban had found a glass case and even placed preservation magic on the rabbit doll.
âAnyway, look into the maids.â
âYes, Your Majesty. Then what about the EmperorâŚâŚâ
âMabel? What kind of nonsense is that. What does a little child know?â
She was at an age that couldnât be busy with size. what was she doing now?
He always missed her, but right now, Esteban missed her terribly.
âThen Iâll leave now. Work hard, Gustav.â
âYes? YesâŚâŚâ
After leaving Gustav who had the complexion of a dying man, Esteban headed straight to Mabelâs bedroom.
Upon arriving at the door, Lissandro appeared.
âI greet the stand-in-Emperor.â
âWhat about Mabel?â
âShe is probably sleeping.â
It was a shame she wasnât awake, but maybe itâs a good thing.
âCause if Mabelâs asleep, she wonât tell me to go even if Iâm watching her.â
The bedroom was still. A tiny breath could be heard from all the silence.
He approached the bed, erasing his presence.
On an oversized bed, a small baby was sleeping quietly.
She was so small, at first glance, it looked like an empty bed.
With feverish, disheveled pink hair, Mabel was on a trip to dreamland without knowing the world.
ââŚâŚsheâs sleeping soundlyâ
Esteban sat on the beg and arranged the hair that was tickling the babyâs face. The white cheeks were fully exposed.
Suddenly there was a smile.
âGustav is out of his mind. To include this child in the investigation.â
Was he senile? Heâs still in his 20s.
Esteban, who thought he would give him a paid vacation after the urgent work, touched Mabelâs finger out of habit.
Maybe she felt the touch since she wriggled, but her fingers were so chubby.
She looked like a baby angel crouching with her eyes closed.
âSleep well, Mabel.â
Esteban kissed the childâs forehead, hoping that tomorrow, the vulgar Mabel would give him a smile.
<figure>
âMm.â
Mabel who was eating ice cream till her stomach exploded in her dream, didnât know anything.
***
Today was finally the day of the regular meeting.
âOh, just how much Iâve been looking forward to it!â
I couldnât wait to see Duke Javierâs depressed face.
âHihihi.â
I couldnât stop laughing.
People looked at me and said a few words as I was laughing helplessly over and over again on the bed.
âMadame, Her Majesty keeps smiling. She must be in a good mood!â