🇲🇨 🇲🇨 🦅

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(....Did anyone notice that I was foreshadowing, because myloststars_ didn't. HAHAHAHAHAHA)

.·。.·゜·༺♥༻ ·゜·。.

It was a surprise to see Aravin no longer tried to pursue Junior lately. Instead, he asked her to take him on her daily routine. She warned him that it was not all fun and games, but the boy insisted. He was unusually quiet when she took him to one of the tea parties. Normally, he would try to make a scene and make himself the centre of attention or demanding to be served his favourite food.

Had something happened between the boys?

Only as Miss Joséfina came to visit her, having shown an interest in becoming her court lady, he finally show his true colours. Gigi knew that she would need a lot of assistance during summer; with Joséfina being a lot more sociable than she was, she would be an excellent choice. It would please Cal to have her form a close bond with Angletonians.

"There are many rooms in the palace, but you don't have to stay here if you can't. You may go back in the evening before dinner."

"These rooms are so beautiful. Honestly, I wouldn't mind staying in the palace if it is required of me," Joséfina replied with a smile.

"Are you sure? I don't want His Majesty to get in trouble with the Prime Minister for holding his daughter captive," Gigi joked.

"Papa should accept the fact that his daughter is an adult now." Said Josefina, holding her head up high. "I should be making my own choices. Although, I do have a question. If I were to stay here, could I personalize my room a little bit? Could I make it more... pink?"

"Why not? His Majesty had my room redesigned in Prajan style before I got here. I believe it should be allowed in the other rooms, too."

"He did? That's so romantic! What a thoughtful husband!"

"He really is," Gigi solemnly agreed. Cal was indeed a good husband. Just look at that beautiful ass—Eyes! She meant eyes!

"But you're the daughter of the Prime Minister. I'm sure there are countless opportunities offered to you. May I know why you're particularly interested in this position?"

"What greater honour than to serve the highest woman of this country? And I do have something in mind, you see. If I got a recommendation letter from the Empress, that could guarantee me having any career that I want. So I'd do my best to make you happy."

On the corner, they spotted Cal Junior approaching, carrying a massive set of books. "Junior, are you hungry yet? Your father's in a meeting but he'll be out in a moment."

Responding to Junior's name like an alarm bell, Aravin quickly turned to face Joséfina. "I'm sure my sister will be honoured to be assisted by such a beautiful lady as you are," Aravin said in broken Anglese, not forgetting to glance at Junior's direction. "As will I."

Joséfina laughed awkwardly, bending down to his level. "How old are you?"

"Seven. I counted." He showed off his seven fingers.

She grinned. "I think I'm good."

Disgusted by the display of his pathetic attempt at flirting, Junior frowned at Aravin and quickly scampered off from the passageway.

Gigi rubbed her neck at her brother's antics. "Miss Joséfina, have you heard that our seamstress is taking temporary leave? I wonder if you have any recommendations for another that we could hire for the summer. That will be your first task."

"I know a handful of good designers. I can bring them all to you!" She answered with enthusiasm. "And please just call me Fina, Your Majesty."

"One is enough," Gigi beamed. "And you can call me Gigi."

Escorting her out after a brief tour, Gigi then went to see Cal before dinner. She'd been wanting to ask about his appointment with the Doctor, wondering how it went. But as she walked down toward his office, she was met by a foreign man—a noble, judging from his clothes.

The man bowed deeply upon seeing her, and Gigi couldn't help but gave him a polite nod.

As she neared his office, one of his personal assistants announced her presence.

"Sire, the Empress is here and would like to see you."

"Oh, let her in, and both of you can have your break for today," she heard her husband respond from inside.

"Allô!"

Gigi paused in the doorway as she came across her cousin in law.

"Philippe, you're here!"

"Oui. Cal has asked that I help him, so I'm moving here this summer. I hope you don't mind me staying here."

Stay in the palace? Ah... So that's why she wanted to move in too.

Smiling knowingly, Gigi leaned towards his cousin. "I see what you're doing there, Philippe. Je vois ce que tu fais."

The blond frowned, while Cal seemed equally confused. "Comment ça?"

"You don't think I know what you're up to?" Gigi raised a finger at her cousin, smirking. "I'll keep an eye on you both."

"Ça fait peur!" Philippe replied, acting scared. "I should be going now anyway; I have other business I need to see to."

"Oh, I'm sure you do," Gigi said with a twinkle on her smile.

Cal stood with his arms resting atop the table while looking down on a huge map spread out over it; one that depicted the Angletonian landscape in detail.

"Dinner is almost ready, Sire. I would have sent someone, but as I knew you were holding a private meeting, I came to fetch you myself. The boys wouldn't dine without us; I think they're fighting."

Cal looked up from the table, his face humorous. "Junior has never really fought with anyone from our family before. Leave them be, he could do with learning how to apologize. They both could."

"How did your appointment with the Doctor go?"

"I got you something from the Doctor's," Cal grinned as he handed her over some very thick and large books. "Told her that Wifey likes to read, and she was more than willing to lend me these."

The books were so heavy, Gigi had almost dropped them trying to carry them all in both arms. Placing them on the table, she excitedly flipped through the pages. Each contained medical and scientific takes on various psychological disorders. They would certainly help her understand him better.

"Thank you, Sire... I've never seen these books before! Not at the library, nor the bookstores, nor at Praja. They're incredible."

Cal responded by placing a soft kiss on her forehead. "Pleasure, Darling."

"Also, I decided to take Miss Joséfina as my court lady, just as you suggested. She may stay in the eastern palace for the rest of the summer."

"I trust you with your choice." He took a long pause before he continued, "Gi, you remember when I tried to tell you about the Northern Region?"

The Northern Region? Was it when he was trying to lure her after she bumped into Aravin? So it wasn't an innuendo? Then she remembered the strange encounter. "Sire, I saw a man walking out of here; a foreign noble from what he looked like. May I know who it was?"

"...You have heard about Seol-il, haven't you?" Cal asked as he leaned back.

"Seol-il, our neighbouring country on the northeastern border?" she guessed. "I have heard of them, but never really seen one of their people around here; at least not in an official capacity."

"Right," Cal answered as he circled the table. On the map, Gigi could easily spot another country, northeast of the continent. Small—probably only one-third of the size of then Angletonian mainland—but enriched with natural landmarks.

"They are connected to us on land by a range of mountains, but they are closed off to foreigners which, among many other reasons, is why our diplomatic relationship is not that great. Since our capital is located in the south, there aren't many interactions, but my mother's—Philippe's family's domain is in the North and has been in charge of overseeing the border for generations."

Gigi traced her fingers over the mountains of the Angletonian border. "Is that why you asked Phillippe to stay?"

Cal nodded. "It's been four generations since we were made an empire but what do we have aside from our mainland? A chaotic, deserted landmark. What's the purpose of ruling a dysfunctional realm? I need to do better to ensure of my legacy, Gi."

Bending down to the table, Gigi continued to trail her fingertips across the surface of the Seol-il map. It wasn't like she could feel any textures, but she could still imagine. No match to Praja—She had yet to find a country that could rival Prajan archipelago, diverse as it was; though enough to make Seol-il a jewel on its own.

Mountains, waterfalls, caves. She could even recognize some names, mentioned once to be a prehistoric site to find dinosaur fossils. Junior would be delighted.

As if she had concluded her little research, she looked upon her husband with a spark in her eyes. "What do you have in mind for Seol-il, Sire?"

.·。.·゜·༺♥༻ ·゜·。.