Chapter 886

"Your Highness?"

As Princess Veronica sat at her desk, eagerly flipping through a elementary student's workbook, a cautious reminder came from outside the bedroom door.

"In six hours, the Ministry of Finance will reconvene to revise the budget; accounting for grooming, meeting with attendees, and travel time, you should rest now."

"Mm, I'll sleep right away."

Hearing the maid's reminder, the princess looked out the window and realized the sky had faintly turned white—only then did she suddenly grasp that she had been so absorbed in reading that she had long passed her usual bedtime.

Closing the old workbook and carefully stowing it in the drawer, the princess yawned wearily, rose from her desk, and headed toward the large bed in the bedroom.

Yet just as she was about to sleep, she seemed to remember something and turned to ask the maid:

"By the way, is the afternoon interview arranged?"

"All arranged."

The maid, who had been drawing the curtains, paused slightly, then answered with a peculiar expression:

"I went to the chief editor of The Scepter and Horn and requested they ask more questions about… about your relationship with His Royal Highness the Prince."

"I've copied the questions they prepared and placed them on your desk—in the third pending file. You can review them after the budget meeting tomorrow."

"Good, thank you."

Nodding in satisfaction, the princess, exhausted from a full day's work, hugged the puffed-up quilt and lazily flopped onto her bed, then half-closed her eyes and murmured:

"But remember to adjust the order—anything concerning Li Ang goes into File One. I want to see it first."

File One? That's for state affairs! I know this is your first love, but isn't this a bit too much?

Hearing the princess's request, the maid's cheek twitched slightly; she internally scolded herself twice but still bowed respectfully:

"Yes, Your Highness, I'll remember."

"Mm-hmm."

"By the way, Your Highness…"

Just as Princess Veronica closed her eyes and seemed on the verge of sleep, the maid couldn't help whispering:

"You've had so much official business lately that you only sleep four or five hours a night and still rise early. You're already this overworked—wouldn't it be better to cancel the interview and rest properly?"

Worried the princess might misunderstand, the maid quickly added:

"Your Highness, I'm not saying you shouldn't pay attention to Prince Li Ang—I just think you'd be better off spending less time on these meaningless interviews and more time resting, then going to see him directly…"

"That won't do~"

Lying face-down on the bed, the princess shook her head with her eyes closed:

"You don't understand Li Ang—he's always cautious, deeply averse to situations he can't control. If I forcefully intrude into his life, he won't accept me—he'll only pull away."

"But if I mostly leave him alone, just subtly maintain my presence, and occasionally 'can't hold back' and show up myself, he'll find it harder to push me away."

"…"

Who's going to push you away? Our Prince is practically blind!

Glancing at the princess lying face-down on the bed, the maid saw the full, rounded curves beneath her nightgown and the slender waist—narrow enough to encircle with one hand—and barely restrained the urge to touch. She lowered her head and murmured, "Mm."

"And you think I'm being too eager, right?"

Pushing her knees up against the bed and settling her head on the pillow, the princess let out a contented sigh, then murmured softly with eyes closed:

"I know—you've always thought my recent demands for the press to unify their tone and flood articles with stories about me and Li Ang are absurd. You've probably even laughed at me in your heart—thinking I've become obsessed with men since landing a prince, haven't you?"？！！！

Hearing this, the maid's expression startled, then she quickly shook her head in denial:

"No! Your Highness, I've never thought that!"

"It's fine—because you're right. When I'm idle, I really do think of Li Ang all the time."

"…"

After wriggling under the quilt, the princess smiled sweetly, asking with a mischievous glint:

"Tell me—if there were a man who didn't care about your lineage, didn't covet your wealth, wasn't drawn to your beauty, treated his siblings kindly, worked diligently, took responsibility seriously, and was nearly flawless in character…"

"And on top of that, he understood your thoughts, endorsed your ideals, and even risked everything to lead a raid on the palace to rescue you from danger… wouldn't you be moved?"

"…"

She would be moved…

"Right?"

Seeing the maid's dreamy expression, Princess Veronica smiled triumphantly—as if showing off her favorite jewel—and raised her hand, clenching her fist with firm resolve:

"You must understand: life seems full of chances, but when something like this comes your way, if you don't grab it with both hands, you'll never get it again."

"Li Ang is exactly that kind of person for me—one I must hold onto, no matter what. I must fight! I must seize him! I must use every trick to get him! Laughing at me in their hearts? Compared to him, that's nothing!"

"…"

Watching the princess, half-bent over on the bed yet still gripping her fist with undeniable authority, the maid cast her a complex look.

Still… having determination is good, but is this really necessary just for a romance?

"Hehe, just teasing you."

Seeing the maid stunned into silence by her "love philosophy," Princess Veronica smiled gently, then slipped under the covers, lying properly with eyes closed:

"When I'm idle, I don't think of him all the time… maybe seventy percent. The other thirty percent? I still think of other things—like arranging those absurd reports."

Those reports?

With a drowsy expression, the princess murmured like a sleeper:

"When Joshua and the Queen were first confined, the Minister of Finance and the Upper House nobles fiercely opposed me—they even openly called it an illegal coup. I suppressed them, but it caused quite a stir."

"But since I took these interviews and unified the major newspapers' tone, daily flooding them with stories about Li Ang—do you still hear anyone talking about the coup?"

"?!"

So… this was all intentional?!

"Suspicion and conspiracy theories can't be suppressed if someone deliberately stirs them up—but a sensational gossip story can easily bury them."

With the maid's stunned expression, Princess Veronica smiled, then closed her eyes and murmured sweetly:

"These reports made such a splash—Li Ang must have seen them. But he never came to ask me about it. He must have realized why I did it… and what it means. He understands me~"

"…"

Your Highness, that one sentence is the only one tonight that doesn't make sense…

Watching the princess, who had quietly fallen asleep with a smile, the maid shook her head in disbelief, then, clutching her bloated stomach, quietly slipped out of the bedroom and returned to her own side chamber.

She slept without dreams.

Perhaps because she'd eaten too much "dessert," the maid slept deeply. But as she groaned, aching from bed, and rose at the blaring alarm to go wake the princess, a eunuch burst in urgently:

"Something's happened!"

Seeing the maid, the eunuch exhaled in relief, then handed her a note, his eyes filled with anxiety:

"The Kingdom of Krolak's ambassador says they lost something vital in the airship attack. If it's not recovered within three days, they will consider imposing sanctions on our kingdom."