"The palace is really quiet today."
Her Majesty Elashia and Minister Candice must have gone out for something.
Chris thought to herself as she walked home.
She had returned home right on time again today.
Although Her Majesty Elashia had repeatedly emphasized "work-life balance" and "having your own life" after bringing her back.
But she really had nothing else to do besides work.
She knew that as Elasia's Security Bureau Chief, the work was endless.
After all, Elasia was a large human nation, completely incomparable to Yage City.
Yage City had only about ten thousand people in total, while Elasia's capital alone had nearly a million people.
It was absolutely impossible to handle everything personally like she did when managing Yage City.
So Chris's choice was—to fill all her time with work except for the mandatory sleep time Elashia had arranged for her.
Any work that really couldn't be done during this time would be assigned to subordinates.
However, although Chris's life was still almost completely occupied by work like before, it was much better than before.
After all, with the mandatory sleep time Elashia had arranged, she at least wouldn't work while fatigued like before.
In the past, she had long been accustomed to overworking, and it was only after coming to Elasia that she could truly work with full energy for long periods.
And precisely because of this—she fell even more in love with work!
Now she was not only doing work she loved, but also had full energy every day!
This kind of life was something she had never dared to imagine before!
So after coming to Elasia, Chris's work enthusiasm was completely ignited!
She often forgot about time while working.
This kind of life was exactly what she had always expected!
Chris walked home while happily thinking about what she should do tomorrow.
Humming a light melody, Chris finally arrived at her door.
She opened the door with her key and was about to turn on the lights.
Next, she just needed to keep the lights on until ten o'clock, then turn them off and sleep after Minister Candice observed her.
This way, Her Majesty Elashia and Minister Candice wouldn't discover that she returned right on time.
However, at this moment, all the lights in the villa suddenly blazed on!
"Eh?"
Chris was startled!
Under the lights were Her Majesty Elashia, General Cecilia, and Minister Candice!
The three most powerful people in the Elasian Empire suddenly appearing in her house startled her greatly!
Oh no, they must have discovered that she always returned right on time!
"I..."
Thinking of those "Elasian Empire customs" Elashia had told her about before, Chris's already pale pretty face turned even whiter!
Could it really be that her daily overtime had made her superiors angry?
Actually, if Chris had observed carefully, she would have noticed something was wrong.
Seeing that her plan seemed very successful, Elashia immediately showed an irrepressible triumphant smile.
Cecilia, who had been dragged here as an actor, kept blushing and didn't dare look at Chris.
Only Candice performed well as an actor.
Just looking at Chris with her usual cold expression made her shudder.
But Chris, startled by the suddenly turned-on lights and the three people, had no composure to observe the three of them.
Chris had lowered her head from the moment she saw them.
"Your Majesty..."
Elashia put on an extremely serious expression.
"Chris, do you know your crime?"
Hearing Elashia's words, Chris's body trembled.
Oh no, it seemed Her Majesty Elashia was really angry!
"I... know my crime..."
Elashia continued:
"Since you know your crime, then I must punish you severely!"
"I will..."
Elashia's words paused.
She hadn't thought of how to punish Chris yet.
But she had to say something quickly, or Chris would discover that she was messing with her!
"I will... severely spank your bottom... ow!"
However, just as Elashia said these thoughtless words, her head received a violent flick from Candice beside her.
"Your Majesty, that's too much."
Candice didn't want Elashia to learn bad habits.
When Elashia had suggested teasing Chris earlier, she had been somewhat afraid.
That expression was exactly like Alexandra's.
Every time her Imperial Sister wanted to mess with her, she would show that kind of expression.
To prevent Elashia from becoming a bad woman like her Imperial Sister, Candice had to ruthlessly nip it in the bud when this tendency appeared!
"Wuu wuu wuu, but I was really getting into it just now..."
(>﹏<)
Elashia covered her head and crouched on the ground.
"Eh... what's this?"
Suddenly seeing this scene, Chris was stunned.
Seeing that the "mastermind" had been "punished," Cecilia smiled somewhat awkwardly at her.
Finally, she didn't have to go along with Her Majesty Elashia's nonsense anymore...
"Uh... Minister Chris, it's like this..."
Cecilia told Chris about Elashia's previous intention to mess with her and her hope that Chris could have her own life.
"Ah... I see..."
Chris had really been frightened just now.
Looking at Elashia, who had just recovered from Candice's violent flick, Chris showed a somewhat awkward smile.
"Your Majesty... actually... I've really been very happy since coming to Elasia..."
Being able to participate energetically in her favorite work, with a group of subordinates who were not only capable but completely obedient to superior orders—this was unimaginable for her back in Yage City.
Hearing Chris's words, the recovered Elashia said with a serious expression:
"But I hope that after coming to Elasia, you can have your own life."
"Besides work, I hope you can do some... things you like."
Chris could naturally understand Elashia's words, but she just smiled bitterly.
"Your Majesty, I can understand your good intentions, but... besides work... I really have nothing else I can do."
After hearing Chris's words, Elashia's delicate body trembled.
Yes, Chris had always worked toward becoming a consul since childhood, and after becoming a consul, she had always devoted herself wholeheartedly to work.
She always demanded that others have their own lives after coming to Elasia, but... how could others have their own lives?
Especially as a minister of Elasia, she absolutely couldn't go to those entertainment venues in the capital...
Looking at Cecilia and Candice beside her, Elashia suddenly understood—it seemed she needed to take some responsibility.
Also as ministers of the country, why could Candice and Cecilia handle official duties well while also having fulfilling personal lives?
Because Cecilia had a sister.
And Candice... had herself.
But what did Chris, who was brought to Elasia alone, have?
She had brought her here to manage security for herself, only providing the necessary residence and salary for living, while always demanding that others have their own lives.
But Chris didn't even have a single friend in Elasia!
It was exactly the same as when she was in Yage City!
Thinking of this, Elashia suddenly thought of something!
In the game plot, Chris indeed remained alone after being brought to Elasia by Elashia, just like in Yage City.
But it wasn't absolute.
Whenever she appeared to solve major cases, she could always get help from a ranger.
Although that ranger was a "knight-errant," her case-solving and evidence-gathering abilities were no weaker than those experts at the Security Bureau.
Once the two could work together, they could always solve those strange and mysterious cases.
Thinking of this, Elashia suddenly turned her gaze to Cecilia!
"Cecilia, there's something I must ask you to handle well!"
Elashia understood!
Since bringing one person wasn't enough, then she'd bring another!