I Will Surrender My Position as the Empress - Chapter 24.1
In the waiting room, the commotion went unnoticed by her, but Adele, who was in charge of interviewing the applicants, sensed a subtle change in their attitudes. They seemed either bewildered or unmotivated, unlike the previous ones, making it hard to explain. Adele rubbed her chin and tilted her head, trying to make sense of the situation. Eventually, the tedious interviews ended, and Adele muttered that she had a hard time buying all the applicants’ attitudes before burying herself deep in her chair.
Just when she thought it was over, Mrs. Giggs rushed in with a stiff piece of paper in her hand.
“I’m sorry, Your Majesty. There is only one applicant left,” she said, handing over the paper. Adelaide’s gaze went through the documents at breakneck speed, but it stopped abruptly.
“Should we ask for the last applicant?” she asked, looking up with her golden eyes glistening like a cold-blooded beast.
Lionel was waiting nervously in the waiting room when Mrs. Giggs returned. She gave him a small nod and opened the door to Adelaide’s office.
“She asks you to come in,” she said.
Lionel took a deep breath to calm his nerves, his hands tingling with anticipation. If Theseus had seen him, he would have laughed and mocked him. He touched his clothes and stepped confidently into the open door.
Adelaide sat on an ornate chair, her eyes fixed on the open door. She looked up when Lionel entered and met his gaze with an intense stare. Lionel felt like he was facing a predator, but he maintained his composure and greeted her politely.
“Hello, Your Majesty,” he said.
“Lionel Baldr.” She called out his name in a deep bass voice and gestured for him to sit down.
Adele didn’t offer any tea, and Lionel didn’t expect her to. The other applicants were treated similarly. Adelaide stared at him, waiting for him to speak. He knew she wasn’t interested in small talk or entertainment. She wanted someone who could bring something to the table, and he was convinced he was the right person for the job. He discarded his prepared remarks and got straight to the point, showing her his cold rationality.
The air in the ornate chamber was thick with tension as Lionel Baldr, a man of undaunted demeanor, stood his ground before the empress. She regarded him with a steely gaze, her expression betraying nothing of her thoughts. But Lionel did not flinch in the face of her scrutiny.
“Do you need an assistant, Your Majesty the Empress?” he asked, his voice calm and measured.
The empress folded her arms and cocked her head to one side.
“Are you trying to balance the forces?” she countered, her tone sharp.
Lionel did not waver. “Aren’t you looking for an aide to join hands with reliable power in this place where there is nowhere to lean on, and to defend your power and honor against someone who has already occupied the palace?”
The empress’s posture shifted imperceptibly. She did not deny his words. Lionel, who had been reading her carefully, pressed on.
“Whoever you choose will be a worse choice than if you chose me.”
He spoke matter-of-factly, without a hint of bravado or conceit. The empress’s smile faltered for a moment, but she quickly regained her composure.
“Look, sir. No, should I call you minister?” she said, her tone playful.
“You can call me whatever you feel comfortable with,” Lionel replied.
“Anyway, you really want to be my aide right now, you mean?”
“That’s right.”
“Why?” The empress narrowed her eyes, sizing him up.
“It’s been a while since I came here, so I can’t read the situation perfectly, but even so, it doesn’t seem like there are any benefits to be gained from having Baldr’s direct line become my aide. You could have recruited a vassal family or a person from another family whose interests matched and sent it to you as a candidate, but why did you bother to come in person?” she continued.
Lionel did not hesitate. “It’s because Her Majesty wants information about the tower she knows.”
The empress’s interest was piqued. “About the tower?” she repeated.
“That’s right,” Lionel confirmed, his gaze unwavering.
“Do you believe that the knowledge of the tower outweighs the cost of becoming an empress’s aide?” Adele inquired, her hand resting thoughtfully on her chin.
Lionel replied without hesitation, “Indeed, I do.”
Adele’s eyes flickered with interest at his prompt answer. “It was the Grand Duke who proposed the idea of an aide to me. She instructed me to select someone from Baldr’s family if they should present themselves. However, if no one from Baldr’s family is available, I am to choose you without hesitation.”
Lionel’s eyes widened at the revelation.
“To choose someone else would be a far worse decision than selecting oneself. That is a bold statement.” the Empress said.
“I apologize if I come across as arrogant,” Lionel said, his tone even. “But it is the truth, Your Majesty.”
