(Diana's Point of View)

  Several weeks had passed since that devastating day, yet the memories remained sharp, especially the image of what they had done to the children.

  The pain still lingered, tugging at my heart like a thread woven from Towa's feelings that refused to let go.

  Even so, I did everything I could to give the children the home they deserved.

  I built a larger orphanage, one that felt safe and welcoming, a place where their laughter could slowly return.

  Since someone had to watch over them with genuine care,

  I followed Leo's recommendation and hired his two older sisters.

  It was troublesome at first, they couldn't resist teasing me about their brother, but I managed to look past it and bring them in.

  After all, being Leo's family, I knew I could trust them.

  To those children who had already turned thirteen, I offered positions for them as palace maids.

  They accepted without hesitation, and in doing so, the long-standing shortage of maids was finally solved. I even placed Sasha as Rose's assistant.

  Rose, on the other hand, could hardly contain her happiness at having new trainees.

  She took pride in teaching them the daily chores of palace life, and for once, everything was running so smoothly that I had begun drafting plans to build a school for the commoners.

  Lucas, however, seemed less thrilled. His brows furrowed deeply as he read through my documents.

  "Y-Your Majesty," he began, voice hesitant, "I'm trying to understand why you're planning to build a school for commoners, but… I just can't."

  I stopped writing and lifted my gaze to him.

  "What do you mean?"

  He tilted his head slightly, still frowning.

  "We already have plenty of schools in the Kingdom. Why bother making another?"

  "Because those schools are only for nobles, Lucas," I replied, smiling faintly.

  "I want to give the commoners the opportunity to change their lives. They deserve that chance."

  His expression remained stiff, his lips drawn tight, and then he narrowed his eyes halfway at me.

  "I get what you're trying to accomplish… and I think it's admirable. But—" He stopped abruptly.

  I tilted my head, while my eyebrow slightly up.

  Then, to my surprise, he sighed heavily, almost defeated.

  "W-We don't have enough money to build this!" he blurted out.

  "Ah!" The sound escaped my lips before I could stop it. Then, unexpectedly, I found myself laughing.

  Lucas frowned even more. "Why are you laughing!?"

  "Because of how fast you're thinking, Lucas," I said between chuckles.

  "I'm not planning to build the school right away. I know our funds are limited, which is why I'll set this plan aside for now and focus on the Kingdom's immediate problems first."

  His eyes widened slightly, caught off guard by my practicality. Finally, he scratched the back of his head and muttered.

  "If that's the case… then I guess you're right."

  As I continued reading through the documents detailing the Kingdom's current state.

  I could easily identify the most pressing problems, ones that demanded immediate solutions.

  Among them were the sudden and massive increase in taxes, the rapid growth of rebel forces, the declining trust in the nobles, and the uncontrollable rise of market prices.

  Each issue weighed heavily on my mind.

  What surprised me, however, was how Towa had managed to keep things from collapsing completely, even if her progress had been slow.

  For her to carry this burden for so long… it spoke of her quiet strength.

  For a couple of hours reading a bunch of documents, a sudden sharp interrupted my thoughts, two firm taps against the door. I set down my quill, letting out a small breath before smiling.

  "Come in!"

  The door creaked open gently, and at once, a warm, delightful aroma filled the room.

  Two figures entered, carrying trays with careful, deliberate steps.

  Sasha and Beatrice approached with the grace of practiced maids, presenting a lunch that looked almost too exquisite to touch.

  A glance at the clock told me it was already noon.

  They set the plates before me, placing each one with measured care.

  Beatrice even laid a folded handkerchief beside my plate.

  "Here's your lunch, Your Majesty," Sasha said with a bright smile.

  "Thank you," I replied, returning the smile before taking my first bite.

  The flavor exploded on my tongue, rich, savory, perfectly balanced.

  For a fleeting moment, it felt as though I was dining in a five-star restaurant.

  Not that I had ever been to one back on Earth, but I imagined this came close or even more.

  As I ate, I looked at them and asked, "Have you two eaten lunch yet?"

  "I haven't eaten y—"

  Sasha was about to answer.

  But Beatrice quickly covered her mouth, her pink eyes slightly trembling while her other hand gestured nervously.

  "Y-Yes! We already ate, Your Majesty," Beatrice said with a forced laugh.

  I tilted my head, unconvinced. "Really?"

  "Yes! Don't worry about us. Please, focus on enjoying your meal," She replied quickly.

  Beatrice then shot Sasha a serious look and leaned close, whispering just loud enough for me not to hear.

  "If she finds out we haven't eaten yet, she'll try to give us half of her lunch." Her voice was laced with seriousness.

  Sasha's eyes widened as if the thought alone startled her.

  She quickly pulled out a small notepad from her pocket and scribbled something down.

  "T-Thank you for the information, Beatrice-san," she whispered back.

  Beatrice sighed, clearly exasperated.

  R-Rose, W-Why did you appoint me into this type of work?

  Now that I think about it, the very next day after I dismissed all the maids,

  I asked Lucas to appoint the finest tutors in the Kingdom, and gave them a task to teach the remaining maids basic etiquette and the fundamentals of managing an estate since I intended to grant them land in the future

  I even instructed the tutors to hold weekly examinations so I could monitor their progress.

  From what I saw in their results, Rose had achieved a perfect score in etiquette, though that wasn't a surprise.

  She was my personal maid, after all.

  My eyes, however, lingered on Beatrice.

  She was the only one who scored ninety-six in estate management, remarkable for someone from a commoner's background.

  In this world, commoners rarely received proper education, yet here she was, excelling.

  I caught myself staring at her longer than I should have until she noticed.

  "What's wrong, Your Majesty?" she asked, pulling me back from my thoughts.

  Her voice snapped me back to reality. I offered a faint smile.

  "I saw your exam score in estate management, Beatrice. Ninety five out of a hundred, that's really impressive."

  Her eyes widened slightly in surprise before she quickly waved her hands.

  "T-That is not something worth praising, Your Majesty!"

  My eyebrow slightly furrowed. "Why is that?"

  "J-Just because it's not worth it," she muttered.

  I hummed softly, my gaze still locked on her eyes.

  "I'm quite curious, Beatrice," I said, leaning slightly forward.

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  "How did you manage to get that score?" The question slipped out naturally, curiosity bubbling in my eyes.

  Beatrice let out a nervous laugh, her eyes darting away as if trying to escape mine.

  I could tell she was uncomfortable, the way her fingers fidgeted, and her smile faltered gave it away but that only made my curiosity grow stronger.

  "Come on, Beatrice. Say it. Please!" I urged, my tone playfully insistent.

  A bead of sweat rolled down her forehead as she scratched her cheek with her fingertip. Seeing the glow of curiosity flickering in my eyes, she finally gave in with a weary sigh.

  "U-Umm, I-I'm not really trying to hide it from you, Your Majesty, but…" Her voice quivered with unease. "I-I'm actually… a scholar."

  My eyes widened in shock. The spoon froze halfway to my lips as her words sank in.

  "E-Eh?" I tilted my head, trying to process what she just said.

  "W-What did you say?"

  Beatrice let out another sigh, her shoulders slumping as if all strength had left her. "Forgive me, Your Majesty, for not telling you sooner," she murmured, her voice low and remorseful. "But yes… I'm a scholar."

  "W-Why did you s-start working in the palace as a maid when you already had such a bright future ahead of you?" I asked, still lost in thought as I studied her expression.

  She closed her eyes, took a shaky breath, and then blurted out with desperate sincerity, her fists clenching tightly,

  "I know this sounds crazy… I just couldn't resist the urge to read the books in the royal library!"

  I blinked, completely caught off guard by her reason. A laugh nearly escaped, but instead I let out a long sigh.

  "No wonder you got such a high score in estate management," I muttered, taking another bite of my food.

  The air suddenly grew heavier around her. Beatrice clasped her hands tightly, her brows knitting together as she hesitated to meet my gaze. Then, with trembling lips, she finally spoke.

  "A-Am I fired, Your Majesty?"

  I immediately waved my hand, almost too quickly.

  "No!" I said firmly while setting my spoon down. "Of course not!"

  Her eyes brightened at once, relief washing over her as she let out a soft laugh.

  "T-Thank goodness," she whispered under her breath but I could still hear her.

  Watching her, I couldn't help but smile too. Then, an idea suddenly sparked in my mind, a mischievous glint flickering in my eyes as I set the plate aside.

  "By the way," I continued, picking up one of the documents that contains every problem of the Kingdom and holding them out to her,

  "I was wondering where to start addressing the kingdom's problems. What do you say? Can you help me out for a bit?"

  "I-I have no right to interfere with your w-work, Your Majesty!" She immediately replied.

  I gently stood up from my chair and walked toward the sofa, sitting down as I patted the empty spot beside me.

  "Come on, Beatrice. Just for today, I want to know your opinion about it."

  I could see her pressing her lips into a thin line, the tension in her chest almost visible from the way her shoulders rose and fell.

  But knowing her all too well, I couldn't stop the knowing smile that crept onto my lips.

  "Beatrice," I began casually, resting my cheek against my hand.

  "If you help me with this matter, I'll grant you access to the royal library whenever you want." My tone carried the faintest hint of temptation, the kind that turns an offer into a trap.

  Beatrice blinked, momentarily frozen. Then, with a soft sigh, she walked over and sat beside me. Her composure cracked the instant she looked up; her eyes glittered like starlight, brimming with barely contained excitement.

  "I-If that's the case…" she said, her voice trembling with excitement,

  "I will gladly help."

  I chuckled under my breath, unable to resist a smirk.

  So easy…

  I turned to Sasha with a welcoming smile.

  "You can sit with us, Sasha," I said.

  She quickly sat down, doing her best to keep writing notes about what she had learned from us.

  Beatrice gently took the document and began reading, her eyes lingering on each word as silence settled over the room.

  After a few moments, she let out a heavy sigh and looked at me with a newfound seriousness.

  "I didn't know until now that we were facing such a heavy crisis in our Kingdom,

  Your Majesty," she said, her voice low yet firm.

  I nodded, a faint smile tugging at my lips.

  "Then… what do you think?" I paused, letting the weight of the question settle in her mind.

  "If we don't act in time…The crisis we're facing right now is going to destroy the Kingdom slowly by slowly."

  She touched her chin, closing her eyes as her brow furrowed in thought. Slowly, she opened them again.

  "You're right, Your Majesty," she replied, her mind still processing.

  "And I think the issue that needs immediate attention is the skyrocketing taxes."

  Her gaze fell back to the document, and when she spoke again, her conviction was stronger.

  "Imagine this: if taxes remain high, merchants will have no choice but to raise the prices of their goods to cover their losses. That would really hurt the economy."

  Her eyes fixed on mine, seriousness shining through.

  "Furthermore, if we attempt to solve this by creating a law to limit the market prices, it will only breed resentment and smuggling," she continued.

  "That will disrupt the flow of money in the Kingdom." She paused, looking straight into my eyes as if to ensure I understood the weight of her point.

  I nodded in agreement, excitement surging within me.

  She's good.

  "That's why we must address this tax issue immediately," She added, her tone firm and filled with sincere determination.

  "But how can we reduce taxes?" I asked, curiosity tingled in my eyes.

  She hummed softly while her eyes briefly scanned the document before giving me a reassuring smile.

  "Based on the reports here," she continued, gently pressing her fingertips against the letters, "the main cause of the high taxes is corruption."

  She let out a small, knowing laugh, as if she had already suspected this from the beginning..

  "The money collected by the tax collectors from the citizens never reaches its intended purpose. As a result, job opportunities don't increase, salaries on the other hand shrink, and the prices of goods continue to rise."

  "Ah!" She brightened as if struck by an idea.

  "I think creating large plantations across our lands could ease the problem, at least for the time being."

  My eyebrow lifted in curiosity. "Why is that?"

  She smiled genuinely. "I've read an article about the soil of Apocrypha before. Our land is rich in minerals, which means we could grow high-quality crops, vegetables, and rice." She lifted one finger for emphasis.

  "With these large plantations, we'd need a large workforce to tend the field." She lifted a second finger. "And we could also hire unemployed men to guard each section."

  Her smile immediately subsided, changing into a darkened expression.

  "We need to erase the corrupt officials as well." She let out a small laugh.

  For a moment, I studied her eyes, quietly intrigued. Her ideas flowed so naturally, each one bursting from her lips with a bright smile.

  That's… an interesting approach.

  Excitement surged through my veins, pulling a grin I couldn't suppress.

  "That's actually a great plan!" I exclaimed, instinctively clasping Beatrice's hands in both of mine, my smile stretching wider than I intended. Then, as quickly as it came, my expression sobered.

  I immediately turned to Sasha, a genuine smile lighting my face.

  "Sorry, Sasha, but could you go to Lucas and tell him to come here as quickly as possible?" I asked, a tinge of excitement lingering in my voice.

  Sasha didn't hesitate. She stood and walked toward the door.

  "I don't really know what's going on, but seeing Her Majesty this happy, I'll certainly do as you've asked," she said, opening the door and stepping outside.

  I waved lightly after her and then shifted my gaze back to Beatrice.

  "I like your proposal," I said, letting a faint cough punctuate my words.

  "But… there are a few problems we need to address first."

  Her eyes shifted instantly, curiosity gleaming like a spark catching flame.

  "What is it, Your Majesty?"

  I nodded, appreciating her eagerness.

  "Your proposal is an excellent foundation." I nodded once again.

  "Reducing taxes will definitely ease the burden on the people and stabilize the market. But for lasting change, we must consider the forces beyond our control." My gaze fixed on her sparkling pink eyes.

  "For example; currency inflation, supply chain disruptions, and global pricing trends."

  I tapped the letters on the document she held gently.

  "If we ignore them, our progress could crumble the moment the outside world shifts."

  I paused briefly.

  "That's why we need to ensure this plan holds from every angle."

  Beatrice's eyes widened, then sharpened with understanding.

  "Do you… have a plan to fix those factors as well?"

  I smiled faintly. "We start by stabilizing our currency." I clasped my hands together. "Grain reserves or precious metals enough to prevent inflation." I paused, letting the words sink in.

  "Next, we strengthen infrastructure: better roads, multiple production hubs, emergency stockpiles across the land to shield us from supply issues." I gestured slightly, emphasizing my point.

  "Finally, to counter global market shifts…" I closed my eyes for a brief moment, then opened them slowly.

  "We secure trade agreements and store key resources. That should keep the economy strong… assuming nothing goes terribly wrong."

  Her mouth parted, eyes sparkling like stars at dawn. Then, with a sudden burst of excitement, she clapped her hands.

  "T-That will work! Y-You're amazing, Your Majesty!" She rose to her feet, nearly vibrating with energy.

  I laughed softly, touched by her enthusiasm.

  "You're the amazing one, Beatrice. I only reached this solution because of your insight."

  Then, unable to resist, I let a sly smirk tug at my lips. My tone dropped low, edged with a hint of menace.

  "And as for the corrupt officials? They will pay with their lives."

  A low laugh escaped me.

  Beatrice shifted, laughing the same as I did.

  "Y-You're right a-about that, Your Majesty."

  Neither of us noticed Lucas standing by the door, ruby eyes fixed on us, a small, amused smile on his lips.

  He had been listening for quite some time, quietly intrigued by everything we had just planned.

  "Lucas, you're finally here. Did you meet Sasha on your way here?" I asked, tilting my head slightly.

  He shook his head, his expression calm but deliberate.

  "I'm afraid not. We didn't cross paths on my way here."

  My eyebrow arched, confusion flickering in my eyes.

  "Then… what brings you here?"

  He closed his eyes briefly and let out a soft sigh.

  "The former Queen, your mother is planning to visit the palace in a week."

  My eyes widened, mouth falling open, and a single bead of sweat traced down my temple.

  "Ehh?!"