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nWhen they arrived at the Empress’ Palace, the sun had already set.

nIt was a slow walk for Cedric, but Leticia ran and walked. She yelled at him that she was going to go first, but in the end, in the garden of the Empress’ Palace, Leticia reached out her arm.

n“Dad, hold me.”

n“Okay.”

nCedric held Leticia up.

nSome people from Evron, including Mel’s family, were probably staying there, but they didn’t show their faces.

nCedric decided that the time he spent at the Empress’ Palace after sunset was completely private.

nIf there was an urgent matter, he had to go out after receiving the report, but if it was to receive a greeting, he decided to postpone it until tomorrow.

nDinner with Mel’s family was due in a few days. The Count Jordyn’s family would need time to adjust.

nArtizea was waiting in the family dining room.

n“Mom!”

nLeticia begged to come down, and she immediately jumped into the hem of Artizea’s skirt.

nArtizea said, stroking the child’s head,

n“You’re late. It has been a while since the news came that you were leaving the Main Palace.”

n“Because Ticia walk.”

n“Did you really walk?”

n“Hmm.”

nLeticia hesitated. She didn’t walk all the way, but she did walk all the way to the Empress Palace.

nShe wants to brag that she’s done it, but that doesn’t count? The little thoughts were tangled in her little head.

nCedric said, putting his hand on Leticia’s shoulder,

n“She didn’t walk. She half ran.”

n“Hehe.”

nLeticia smiled reassuringly.

n“I see. But why is her face like this? Did you make her cry?”

n“…… It’s because I didn’t keep my promise yesterday and didn’t even say hello.”

n“You couldn’t help it because you were busy.”

nArtizea said in a low voice. Leticia puffed up her cheeks.

n“But. If you break promise, you a bad person.”

n“Then, is Dad a bad person?”

nLeticia’s eyes shook. She would have said he was bad without hesitation when she was very angry, but now she wasn’t.

nCedric rescues Leticia from the chaos.

n“Come on, we have to eat now, so let’s go wash your hands and face.”

n“Yes.”

nLeticia meekly took Cedric’s hand and moved to the room next door.

nA porcelain basin filled with warm water was prepared on a table made for Leticia’s height.

nAs Cedric rolled up his sleeves, Leticia closed her eyes and dipped her face into the basin, like a knight meeting his adversary.

nWater overflowed from the basin and splashed in all directions. The servants had expected her to do so in the first place, so they were waiting with their mop.

n“Your clothes are all wet, Ticia.”

nCedric’s warning was to no avail, Leticia stirred the water with her arms.

nThen, she raised her head sharply, closed her eyes, and buried her face in the towel Cedric was holding.

nHer bangs were all wet. Cedric sighed and wiped the towel on her forehead.

nFrom the moment Leticia was born, he’s been trying to do everything he can while he can, as they couldn’t be together for most of the time.

nThat said, it was also a pity for the servants, so they all bowed their heads.

n“Okay, it’s clean. Does your eyes hurt?”

n“No hurt.”

n“Then, go with Mrs. Keshore and change your clothes. It’s all wet.”

n“Dad, Ticia’s strawberry ice cream.”

nLeticia tugged at the hem of his pants.

n“Change your wet clothes and eat afterwards.”

n“Hnng.”

n“No.”

nLeticia tried to sulk again.

nCedric thought for a moment. He knew better than Artizea about a valid answer at this time.

nHe was just wondering if it could be done educationally. But today is a day he was sorry for her, he rationalized it himself.

n“Go and change your clothes and come back, I’ll give you Dad’s, too.”

n“Really?!”

nLeticia exclaimed excitedly. And she ran to Mrs. Keshore.

nThe servants were expecting this too, so Leticia’s new shirt was ready.

nWhile Cedric was washing his hands, Mrs. Keshore changed her clothes. Leticia begged to go quickly, and she grabbed Cedric’s hand and dragged him away.

nArtizea sat at the table, staring blankly at the candle, then raised her head.

n“Did we take too long?”

n“No.”

nArtizea motioned for them to sit down.

nDinner was already set on the table.

nCedric did not hide his joyous face as they had Northern-style ham grilled on wood.

n“Haha.”

nArtizea let out a laugh. Cedric made a puzzled face. But he soon understood why.

n“Wow!”

nSeeing the large omelette, Leticia gave a cheer. And after poking the omelette with a spoon, she was excited to see the half-cooked egg flowing out.

nNow, Cedric knew that Leticia’s face looked exactly like his. However,

n“Am I making that face?”

nHe caressed his cheek awkwardly. Artizea smiled.

n“You don’t show your face like that.”

nCedric was relieved. Artizea said as she wiped the eggs Leticia spilled,

n“I thought it would be better to mix a lot of food familiar to the guests, so I told them to do it. If it’s your favorite food, why didn’t you tell me?”

n“It’s not something you can find and eat.”

nCedric replied that way, but Artizea said without answering it otherwise,

n“Mel brought the chef separately. For the time being, your dishes will be served here as well.”

n“Tia.”

n“I’m sure you must have encountered quite a bit of the Central cuisine, but I plan to make use of Eastern and Southern ingredients as well. The main purpose is to broaden the horizon.”

n“I’m familiar with it.”

nCedric denied it again. Artizea smiled brightly.

n“I see.”

n“Ummm.”

n“Because there are many other things that you like. But hams like this don’t take a lot of effort to transport, so it’s good to bring them in sometimes.”

nWhen Artizea said that, Cedric was embarrassed.

n“I knew at first. You used to eat it often in the North.”

nThis time Cedric shut his mouth and quietly sliced the ham. Each piece of ham was placed on Artizea’s and Leticia’s plates.

nLeticia swung the omelette in the spoon to her mouth that her cheeks got puffed.

nArtizea told her not to do that.

n“It’s just because I’m observant. Even if you like it, it’s nothing to be ashamed of, right?”

n“I never felt ashamed, but…….”

nCedric coughed.

nThere was no shame in having a favorite food. However, it would be a shame if he had a face like Leticia when seeing the omelette.

nAfter the meal, strawberry ice cream was served for dessert. Artizea, who doesn’t like the cold too much, had just cream on top of her strawberries.

nCedric pushed up his share, and Leticia looked at him with twinkling eyes.

n“Because it’s a promise.”

n“You didn’t mean to give it to her because you were sorry, did you?”

nThis time, it was Cedric’s turn to lie.

nAs he flinched, Leticia took his side.

n“Dad giving it, because Dad loves me.”

nThe lie was visible. Artizea was dumbfounded, but she closed her eyes and decided to move on.

n“Alright. But I’ll tell Mrs. Keshore.”

n“Ummm…….”

nCedric moaned. He had always read that he shouldn’t reward the child with material things, but it didn’t work out because there was a lot of time they couldn’t spend together.

nLeticia moved the spoon hard, not knowing Cedric’s fate of hearing the nagging later.

nCedric only had a cup of tea. Tea with ice was as luxurious as ice cream from spring to autumn.

nBecause in winter nobody wastes body heat, and as the weather warms up, ice becomes more expensive.

nIt was the only luxury that Cedric sought after becoming emperor.

nThen, he sighed and asked,

n“How were the guests?”

n“It was a fruitful meeting. In fact, I thought that even if I said I was studying the words, it wouldn’t really be of any use. But once I get used to it, I feel confident that I can understand everything.”

n“Aren’t you too eager for something like that?”

n“If you know even part of a word, the interpreter won’t be able to trick it. And more than that, to find similarities in the pronunciation of old northern dialects and ancient languages.”

n“You’re confident, are you?”

nArtizea nodded her head at Cedric’s question.

n“Yes. I’ll have to do some research to find out, but I’m sure it has something to do with at least northern dialects. I have to go back hundreds of years. The pronunciation of the ancient language is now only speculative, but the Karam language can be recorded.”

nThat was why she dared to ask the temple to make a dictionary. Most of the academic work on writings and languages before hundreds of years ago belonged to the temple.

nIt was also the temple that left a record for the North.

nArtizea has already checked the list. But she had no intention of touching it herself.

nIt was not something that one person can finish in a short period of time, and it would be much easier for her to convince them to find out and study it inside the temple.

n“Anyway, now we are in the stage where we are learning about each other’s existence. I try to have simple conversations several times.”

nArtizea’s short-term goal was to discover within the temple an academic priest who was interested in this matter.

nAnd during the visit, Apua was going to let the Karam people experience the new culture with their body.

nIn fact, none of the items he asked for were important technologically. With the exception of steel wheel axles and some elaborate hardware, the rest were mostly children’s books, colored pencils, scented candles, pottery, and flower pots.

nThe time allowed was not long. They will leave before the day gets hot. Summer in the Capital was not a weather that Karam could tolerate.

nArtizea put the strawberry topped with whipped cream in her mouth and suddenly felt nauseous from the sweetness.

n“What’s wrong?”

n“I must have eaten too much.”

nIt wasn’t that the amount was small in Cedric’s view, but objectively, she ate less than usual.

n“It must be because I am tired. And I drank too much tea during the day.”

nArtizea said so to Cedric who had a worried face and put down her fork.

noho that last scene *wink wink*

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