Rin constantly recalled her father's daily teachings about maintaining elegance.
However, the more she deliberately thought about it,
The faster her little heart raced as she gazed at Moran's lazy yet handsome perfect face.
A girl experiencing her first crush always can't help but let her imagination run wild. People say that girls often mature much earlier than boys.
Moran wanted to continue enjoying the warm time with Rin.
However, a sharp gaze abruptly ended this atmosphere.
"Your Majesty, you haven't reviewed today's state affairs yet? Resting before finishing your work is laziness."
"Lorelei… you really don't let up on me at all."
"Of course, you are the most noble king of Britain, and as your secretary, I must do my utmost to assist you."
A stern atmosphere filled the room.
When Moran wanted to call for help from Rin, he turned around only to see Rin running out of the room.
She completely abandoned her master to face the heat.
This was a case of self-preservation in a crisis.
Lorelei's strictness was such that even the Tohsaka sisters would feel genuinely terrified upon seeing it.
Thus, it was no surprise that Moran returned to the office.
In fact, most state affairs are handled by corresponding institutions, but even after reduction, there are still many matters that require the king's judgment; this is not a short-term accumulation.
Rather, it is a buildup over the past decade.
There are not only matters concerning the magical world but also those of the surface world, and just understanding everything takes a considerable amount of time.
"Your Majesty, you have always been too casual. Even when reviewing state affairs, you should not forget etiquette."
Lorelei held a pointer in her hand.
Her attitude towards Moran remained harsh and cold.
"Lorelei, there are only the two of us here. Moreover, constantly adhering to etiquette… don't you find it exhausting?"
"I don't find it exhausting. If I can do it, I believe that as the king of Britain, you can certainly do it too. It is my duty as your secretary to urge you; you are still far from mature enough as a king."
Lorelei spoke as if it were a matter of course.
This attitude piqued Moran's curiosity, and he casually tossed aside the documents he was supposed to review.
"Lorelei, I believe no one knows better than you the powers I possess, right? I hold the power of life and death over you and Barthomeloi. You don't plan to curry favor with me, yet you intend to confront me like this?"
Moran stared intently at Lorelei.
Unconsciously, he seemed to convey a subtle pressure.
The ministers and magi admired Moran as their king, and before him, they all offered sweet words of praise.
There were almost no others like Lorelei who dared to criticize him.
Thus, Moran became quite interested in Lorelei.
"The distinction between good and evil in this world is not related to status. Even if you are the great king who ascended to the throne of Britain… if there is a mistake, I believe it must be corrected. To be precise, it is precisely because I am a subject that I need this more than anyone else."
Lorelei's gaze towards Moran showed no signs of wavering.
She had her own correct standards.
The Barthomeloi family had shown absolute loyalty to the kings of Britain in the past, and this loyalty had not faded with time.
"Hehe, offending the king is an unforgivable crime."
"Crimes deserve punishment. But what of it?
If it is a necessary act on the path of guiding the king correctly, then there is no option for Barthomeloi to refrain from doing it.
The future of the king is the future of Britain, and the future of Britain is also our future."
Although Lorelei questioned Moran's proof of kingship, she had her own thoughts.
As the Queen of the Clock Tower, standing at the pinnacle of magi, she was closer to Britain's mysteries than anyone else.
Thus, she believed in Britain and the First King.
Perhaps it was just her current short-sightedness that prevented her from seeing the brilliance possessed by this new king.
"If you feel it necessary to punish me for my offense, then I, Lorelei Barthomeloi, will accept it calmly.
I believe in the magecraft of the First King, so I also believe that the king chosen by Britain will not be a tyrant."
What Lorelei did was all the right things.
Whether it was advising on etiquette, urging Moran to handle state affairs, or organizing Moran's schedule…
She fully accomplished everything a vassal should do for their king.
There was simply no reason for punishment.
"Ah, what a headache…"
Seeing her serious demeanor, Moran couldn't help but exclaim; she truly was an exceptionally outstanding woman, one qualified to be a king.
Having such a vassal was indeed a great fortune for a king.
Moran had no reason to refute this.
"~ Don't you resent me for taking your throne? If I hadn't come to Britain, you would be the one on the throne."
"To say I don't resent you would be impossible.
So, to make it easier for me, please display the demeanor a king should have. The current you is not yet someone I can acknowledge."
Lorelei would not dwell on resenting others.
That is not the way of an elite.
Rather than belittling others, she would prioritize self-improvement.
Every generation of Barthomeloi is a perfectionist, and this is especially evident in Lorelei.
It seems I also need to take things a bit more seriously.
Seeing such a serious Lorelei, Moran also intended to regain a bit of his past authority; it wouldn't do to not take her seriously.
For now, let's start with the current state affairs.
But before that—
"Ah—!"
With a crisp sound, a sharp noise echoed in the service room, accompanied by a delicate gasp.
This was something Lorelei did not expect.
Just as she turned around and hadn't reacted, she felt a sharp slap on her pert backside.
Only one person could do such a thing.
"Even so, you can't escape the punishment for offending me. Hehe, Lorelei, you can make such cute sounds, can't you?"
As Moran withdrew his hand, he didn't forget to increase his grip strength.
Lorelei didn't even have time to react.
When she came to her senses, she saw Moran wearing a mischievous smile, looking victorious.
No one had ever dared to offend her like this.
This was the first time in Lorelei's life that she felt such a strange emotion, as if she wanted to tear everything in front of her apart.
A blush appeared on her cheeks.
Then, she quickly suppressed this inexplicable emotion.