Chương 429: Chapter : 429

The spymaster took a single step backward. The dark shadows of the bedroom wrapped around his tall figure. In the blink of an eye, the elite spirit dissolved completely into the darkness. He vanished from the mortal realm without making a single sound. The bedroom was totally quiet again. The sun shined warmly through the window. Ken sat in his wooden chair for a moment longer. He let out a massive, highly dramatic yawn. He stretched his arms high above his head. His back popped softly.

The intense, commanding aura of the Sovereign vanished entirely. The lazy, complaining slacker returned.

"Man, thinking about schedules is exhausting," Ken mumbled to himself. He stood up from the chair. He shuffled over to his lumpy mattress. He dragged his shoes on the floor. Scuff. Scuff. Scuff. He kicked his shoes off. They landed in a messy pile near the wall. He flopped face-first onto the bed. He pulled the thin blanket over his shoulders.

"I really need a nap now," Ken sighed happily. He closed his sleepy dark eyes.

"I just hope Naomi does not yell at me for missing lunch. I am officially off duty for the rest of the day." Within two minutes, the most brilliant tactical mind in the entire Belmontia Empire was fast asleep. He snored very quietly. He did not worry about the fallen kingdom. He did not worry about the stolen seed. He trusted his spirits to handle the security. He just wanted to enjoy his peaceful, lazy afternoon in his dusty, comfortable room.

The small metal latch on the door clicked. The sound was quiet. But the room was so silent that everyone heard it. The door swung open slowly. A tall girl walked into the strategic command room. She had just returned from a very long duty at the distant border. Her dark blue uniform was perfectly clean. She did not have any wrinkles on her clothes. Her posture was straight. She looked like a solid pillar of wood. She carried a large travel bag in her left hand.

A long, silver-tipped spear was strapped tightly to her back. Her dark hair was pulled back into a tight bun. Her eyes were dark and sharp. Princess Iris stood up from her chair immediately. A soft look of relief filled her violet eyes.

"Olivia. You are back." Olivia stopped in the middle of the room. She set her large travel bag on the floor. She placed her right hand over her heart. She offered a deep, respectful bow.

"Princess Iris. I have returned from the border. I am here to deliver my formal report." Naomi smiled. She looked very happy to see her friend. She walked over and stood near the table.

"It is good to see you, Olivia. The estate was too quiet without you." Naomi's voice was warm. She did not have her usual strict tone. Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. Sayma set her black pen down on her notebook. She pushed her thick glasses up the bridge of her nose.

"Welcome home, Olivia. We are glad you are safe." Laxmi waved her hand from her spot near the window.

"Hey! Did you bring anything to fight from the border? I am totally ready to burn some monsters." Luna opened one sleepy eye from her wooden bench. She let out a soft yawn.

"Hello, Olivia. Please do not make too much noise. I am trying to rest." Ira stood perfectly still near the bookshelf. Her pale face showed zero emotion. But she gave a small, neat nod of her head. Risa sat on the floor, clutching her small teddy bear. She offered a sweet smile.

"Welcome back!" Ken Eliot was sitting in his chair at the far end of the table. He had his head tilted all the way back. He was currently trying to balance a small silver spoon on the very tip of his nose. He had his eyes crossed, staring at the metal spoon with absolute, silly focus. When the door opened, the sudden movement made him startle. The silver spoon slipped off his nose. It hit his chin and fell onto the wooden table with a soft clatter. Ken let out a long, loud, dramatic sigh.

He slouched deep into his chair. His shirt was completely untucked on both sides. His tie was loose and crooked. He looked like a complete mess.

"Oh, come on!" Ken complained. He waved his hand in the air.

"I was setting a new personal record. That was three whole minutes of pure, uninterrupted focus. Now I have to start all over again. This is a tragedy." Naomi turned her head to look at him. She did not look angry at his silly game. She smiled a very gentle, warm smile. She walked over to his chair and lightly patted his shoulder. Her touch was soft.

"Stop complaining, Ken," Naomi said. Her voice was remarkably kind.

"Olivia just got back from a very long, very dangerous trip. You should show some respect and welcome her properly." Ken gave Naomi a goofy, relaxed grin. He reached into the pocket of his wrinkled pants. He pulled out a small, half-eaten cookie. He took a bite.

"I am welcoming her, Naomi. I am being very friendly." Ken looked at Olivia. He offered her a lazy wave.

"Hello, strict lady. I am Ken. I like snacks, naps, and avoiding physical labor. Did you bring any tasty treats from the border? I heard the merchants up there sell some really good dried meat." Olivia stared at him. Her sharp, dark eyes scanned his messy appearance. She looked at his untucked shirt. She looked at his crooked tie. She looked at the cookie crumbs on his chin. Her face turned incredibly strict. Her eyebrows pulled together in a deep frown.

"Who is this?" Olivia asked. Her voice was firm and carried a strong, disciplined edge.

"Why is his uniform in such a terrible state? This is a royal command room. He looks like he just rolled out of a haystack."

"He is Ken," Naomi explained. She did not defend his messiness, but her voice was very soft. She looked at Ken with a fond, amused expression.

"He is our newest servant. He is a bit lazy, and he complains a lot. But he is a very good friend. He helped us win the last match."

"I did not just roll out of a haystack," Ken corrected her proudly. He swallowed his cookie.

"I rolled out of bed. About an hour ago. It was a fantastic sleep. I highly recommend it." Olivia let out a short, disapproving breath. She turned her back to Ken, completely dismissing him. She looked at Princess Iris.

"Princess, the border is currently stable. But the magical radiation in the eastern forest is rising. We must remain alert. I have brought the official maps." Olivia reached into her large travel bag. She pulled out a thick, tightly rolled scroll. She walked to the center of the long wooden table. She unrolled the paper, placing four small smooth stones on the corners to keep it flat.