"Achoo!"

Ugh. Ett wiped her nose with her handkerchief.

"Urk, why must my blood again be mixed with my mucus? Geez, man."

Disgusting to the point I'm used to it. Although unethical and unnoble.

Has she forgotten to close the window before she fell asleep yesterday? She woke up from the glazing cold this morning.

Ett grumbled.

"Your Ladyship, here's your tea."

Ah, thank goodness, something warm. Ett should never forget to close her window, or she might catch a cold again. Hayst.

Sniff.

Since she needs to rest, she can't go to the library to gather some books.

"Akan."

Aiya, her eyes are getting teary again.

"I'll call him right away."

The servant bowed and left to find Akan.

"Ah no, don't."

"Ah, yes."

I'm just asking.

She always called him whenever she felt bored and wanted to plan something. That's not good; it feels as if she'll be too dependent on him.

But what could she do? She's too lazy, and not many incidents have occurred.

If there is, her body would be too weak to handle something wrong, and then she becomes a vegetable for who knows how long. Ett needs to consider the duration of her slumber, which could take months, not days, whenever she sleeps.

Other than the sneezing and when there's no blood-spluttering drama, everything is normal.

Of course, in her sickly case. Ett also had better control of managing her emotions in unexpected circumstances and taking precautionary measures to ensure her body would do its rubbish again.

The life of a sickly dowager is hard to level up with just this.

"Greetings to Your Ladyship, hoping you had a good rest."

Ett: "..." A twist of words.

"As long as it's related to my duty, put it on my table, even if it's for you to handle. Collect it all."

"But Your Ladyship, your health is still…"

"I will always be like this."

Ett deadpanned. "Go."

"This subject, understand."

Now, she'll finish her tea and snacks before returning to her Study Chamber.

This would be enough for Akan to sort everything out.

Even though their Empire is closed off to other empires and kingdoms, their lands are known for their strategic location. Rare minerals, ores, and herbs can only grow in this land and nothing else.

The good thing about most of the Emperors of Adiand was that they protected this land against outsiders, making sure if there were any information leak, not much would be known.

A closed-off empire such as Adiand won't last long; with different views of nobles and those with free-adventurous minds who want to know and integrate into other societies and cultures, the Empire will be forced to welcome more outsiders.

Besides, as a person who belongs in the modern world, connection and communication to different countries may have risks, but the benefits are far more significant.

After all, no man is an island. If, by chance, other empires try to ally with each other and evade Adiand, even with her schemes, Guren's competencies, and their martial power, the loss would still be substantial, even if it's minimized.

After all, the ML had the help of the top empires for the ancient Adiand to be destroyed with no blood heir to the throne left. So what if Guren is a once-in-an-epoch star and she is a traverser? Both of them can never be God, who is all-knowing.

They need to open up little by little and make some trade.

But first, whether to proceed further would be at the Emperor's discretion. As one of the steps to make it happen, the internal affairs of the Empire should be rechecked again.

Besides, if she's busy with all of this and creating proposals, she'll have less time to see Guren unless she needs to speak about her proposition to him directly.

Ett diligently checked and made notes of the documents.

"Hm?"

One of the letters was from an Imperial Academy.

"Shoot, how could I forget that academy."

This was the main thing that most of the empires would try to covet.

The school itself was the top one treasure of Adiand. The teachers were top-notch, and all the students who could enter here would always be accepted no matter where they went.

It was where as long as you have the skill, ability or talent, as long as you pass the entrance test depending on which you are better suited to be tested, then you can always be seen as a well-versed student, and everyone can utilise you once you graduate.

Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

"The academy could be a wonderful setting as well."

Too bad it's concentrated on the romance of the ML and FL.

Forget about the mines and resources as the top two or three; finding talented individuals matters.

Once you find one, this kind of conflict and search of ores and mines will be far more accessible. In this Academy, commoner or not, it was an honour to be able to enter.

Nonetheless, they are only open to Adiand people or those who have the blood of Adiand in their gynaecology.

The neighbouring emperors and nobles had their eyes on the Academy for so long. After all, it's beneficial for the heirs to be in a school known throughout the land.

The knowledge of this closed Empire had the empires all wondering where they got their source of inspiration to be full of novelties.

Even Ett.

However, even the school has its way of protecting its graduates who travel to other empires.

Opening the letter, Ett read the contents of the Academy's Dean. It was also dated back one month ago…did Guren ignore this?

"Hm?"

Mostly, the advisers would delegate which complaints and letters are best suited for His Majesty and her. Akan mostly takes care of this; that's just how influential an adviser his role is. Butler Xiwen is an exception as well.

That's why, as the master, she must ensure his benefits, um, loyalty won't fade lest what happened in the novel would come true faster than it should have.

Knock. Knock.

"This is Akan, Your Ladyship."

"Come in."

He came with more papers stacked in his arms, placing them on her study table.

"Is this all?"

"All for now."

For now, okay.

"This academy's letter, how is the situation?"

It's been a month, and some things might have changed.

"The Dean would never miss a day sending a letter of audience to one of the Emperor's advisers."

Archduke and him.

"As for the Archduke, he is still completing his mission after receiving the order. All the letters were sent to me to be delivered to His Majesty; however, His Majesty put it back."

"Is he still dealing with the military affairs?"

So the Archduke left the Empire again, travelling to that distant land.

"Indeed, Your Ladyship."

The Imperial and Aristocratic Factions are at it again.

"I see."

Then it can't be helped that it was escalated to her.

In the letter, the Dean values talented and skillful students the most.

Nevertheless, if such teachings and skills were shared with the other kingdom, he would not forgive them. This might be taken advantage of by the neighbouring Empires and kingdoms. Producing talents and skillful individuals makes him proud like a father, yet if used for others' benefit, it will sadden him greatly.

One of the codes of all those who want to learn at the Academy is never to share your abundant knowledge with outsiders and serve only for the benefit of Adiand.

They are more or less brainwashed and persuaded by this notion. In the Dean's appeal, using information he gathered, most graduates made a name for themselves in other empires.

It's good to boost up the Academy of Adiand, yet most talented graduates are beginning to disappear, and they appear in other empires' institutions and schools.

"How far have you gone in your pursuit?"

"About a hundred of them are missing. Some were forced to torture, and some were killed and thrown on the cliff."

"Had any reason been found?"

"Most were top students that didn't agree to teach in their Empire."

So they coveted them.

"It seems the archduke is the one who's investigating this."

"Your Ladyship is as sharp as ever."

I just wanted you to say yes.

Thinking about it, Ett was homeschooled, and so was Guren.

Wait.

A sudden flash passed her eyes.

"Did you know what happened to Guren's teacher?"

In every case, if that person communicates and directly sees the Adiand royalty and doesn't stay in the palace forever, they would be killed; that's the utmost way of dealing with secrecy. Tutors are no exemption.

That's why it is as complex as searching a needle in the haystack from outside the palace to know or even see Ett as they've all been dealt with.

Many longed to see the royalty of Adiand, but it's either a blessing or a curse to get near them, especially to someone like Ett, who shouldn't be seen by those who don't reside in the palace.

Well, there might be some, as long as they stayed in the palace and had grave measures once something might happen.

The family name of the Dean in this letter is oddly familiar.

Akan said, "I believe the current Dean was your and his Majesty's tutor, Your Ladyship."

Oh, that's something.

"The former Emperor didn't kill him?"

If people are really mobs, Ett would never know.

"Your Ladyship must have not remembered; it was Guren who spared his tutor of such generational death."

"I see."

The Dean could observe and choose talented people from the Academy to where they could be placed when they graduate from their studies.

"Then he knows I'm alive, and you're serving me."

After all, we both had the same tutor.

"Yes."

Then the letter…

Ett chuckled.

"All along, you want me to read it."

Dear Dean, are you confident enough that I'll be of aid to you?