The Emperor Is Taking Lovers?!

Argider leaned back in her chair, staring blankly at a stack of documents. Across the room, Maeve busied herself cleaning, her clumsy movements as chaotic as ever. Every few minutes, something would clatter or crash, and she'd whirl around with an apologetic grin.

"Your Majesty, I—I'll fix it, I swear!" Maeve stammered, holding up a porcelain vase she'd just caught mid-fall.

Argider waved her off, stifling a laugh. "Maeve, at this rate, the palace will crumble before I do."

"Perhaps," Agnes said dryly, "if you focused more on your task and less on flailing about, we wouldn't be in danger of losing royal artifacts."

Maeve puffed her cheeks indignantly. "I'm doing my best!"

Argider chuckled, enjoying the dynamic between the two. It was rare for her to find moments of lightheartedness amidst the chaos of her new life, but these two provided it in abundance.