Chapter 72：A Game for Two

"I still don't understand why you wish to personally meet this... 'person' yourself your majesty. I apologise if I appear rude but may I remind you that it is possible for I to-"

"Are you questioning your emperor Erika?"

Erika froze for a short moment when she was interrupted before she was able to regain her composure and respond properly. If there was one thing that Erika improved upon in the last few years, she would say it would be the improvements she made in these aspects of herself.

While wearing a slight smile and holding her professional disposition with both hands behind her back, Erika replied to Maxwell.

"No your majesty. Please forgive me for my impudence."

As Erika bowed her head slightly in reverence and courtesy, Maxwell shrugged casually before he responded to Erika. While leisurely leaning back onto the furniture, Maxwell waved his hand as he accepted Erika's apology.

"Apology accepted. You are forgiven. However, since it would seem that his 'old friend' has yet to arrive... Why don't you read me the weekly report again Erika."

Without even knowing it, Erika slightly tilted her head as she questioned Maxwell.

"Again? Your majesty I've already read you the weekly report an hour ag-"

"I know but I have low-key OCD and the passage of time without anything happen is bugging me. I'm not hungry at this moment and I don't have anything else to do."

Although Erika was caught slightly of-guard by Maxwell's strange term; 'OCD,' her years of experience and memories with him quickly flooded back into her mind and allowed her to quickly grasp what he meant.

In that moment, she realised that once again, she had offended her emperor.

"M-my goodness. Your majesty, I apologise for my carelessness. To think that I would forget about such an important aspect of his majesty."

Like before, Erika slightly bowed her head in reverence as she apologised.

"I'm sorry that you were forced to witness such a display of incompetence and insolence. To forget such a crucial detail, while I know it is selfish but please forgive me for my impudence."

When Maxwell saw Erika once again apologise and courteously bow in reverence, he sighed in what appeared to be a tired manner before he spoke up.

"Apology... accepted..."

Once again forgiven by Maxwell, Erika couldn't help but show her gratitude to him.

"Thank you very much your majesty, to forgive someone who made such an unforgivable mistake as I did, you are truly benevole-"

"Yes, yes just... just read me the report already please."

At that moment, Erika realised just how much of Maxwell's time she had been wasting. With that in mind, Erika spoke up.

"Yes your majesty."

In the light coming through Maximinus palace parlour's windows, Erika read out the report she held in her hands. Although she already knew and memorised all of its contents, she still had to uphold the formalities. She couldn't afford to offend the emperor again after all.

"The Imperium of Drussia's treasurer; Keizwell Garno Dunnwal has confirmed that the Imperium's finances and budget is still in the positive, especially after the vassalization of Demark and the agreement of trade rights between the nations of the Confederation and with the Fench Empire."

Erika didn't know what it was exactly but she saw 'something' in Maxwell's eyes as she read out the report. A sort of 'glimmer' or 'sparkle.' As if he was 'pleased' with Erika's actions.

Whatever, it was, Erika knew that it could still be part of her imagination.

However, that didn't stop Erika's mouth from subconsciously curving upwards into a smile as she read out the report.

"He has also confirmed that thanks to trade with the Kingdom of Shweden and tributes from the Protectorate of Demark, our current rate of iron supply will soon lead to a surplus if said resources aren't diverted into other projects."

Erika paused for a moment to think to herself before she continued.

"If I remember correctly, you wanted to divert these resources into the 'Sanitation and Sewerage Project'?"

While lounging backwards, Maxwell nodded in approval as he answered Erika's question.

"Yes I do, thank you for remembering."

"Your gratitude is truly appreciated your majesty."

With a warm smile on her face, Erika went to continue on her report.

"Following on from that, the commander-in-chief of the Imperial Drussian Armed Forces.: I, Erika Bismark Pollorov have confirmed that the rate of army recruitment and training has continued on the steady pre-determined pace. There are currently no problems with any aspect of our military develo-"

However, her report was soon interrupted by a rhythmic knocking on the parlour's doors.

Soon after, Maxwell took a quick glance at Erika telling her everything she needed to do.

Within moments, Erika moved to the door before questioning the person who knocked.

"Who is it?"

Although Erika was hoping that the person at the door was not that 'old friend' that Maxwell was referring to, her hopes were soon dashed as a voice that came across the door grated Erika's ears.

"Don't tell me that you forgot already Erika. It's your 'favourite female friend.'"

"Yes."

Although begrudgingly, Erika was able to force to herself to give a proper and respectful answer as she opened the door for her 'friend.'

Soon, with the door opened, the 'friend' came into view.

She was a noblewoman, probably around if not the same age as Erika. Her pitch-black hair was tied into a single long pony tail that rested gently on her shoulders, revealing her sickening pair of golden eyes. She wore a mostly black noble attire which had golden outlines on the trims paired with white silk gloves and boots.

Her name was Michelle Van Dyme.

And Erika hated her.

Within moments, Michelle said something that Erika just could not tolerate.

"Thanks for handling the door, Erika but I'm afraid that your services are no longer required here."

With both hands behind her back, Erika somehow managed to keep her professional disposition and smile as she responded to Michelle's insolence.

"Excuse me lady Dyme but what do you mean by such a thing?"

When Michelle heard Erika's question, a sort of devilish smile appeared on the former's face as she responded to the latter. In fact, it was said in such a mockingly 'innocent' manner that Erika was tempted to just shoot the bitch on the spot.

"Well... no one likes a third wheel."

Erika's jaw dropped the moment she heard Michelle's reply. She completely ignored how Michelle was even aware of the term 'third wheel,' another term that was invented by Maxwell and instead focused on the fact that Michelle just referred to Erika as a 'third wheel.'

While she was aware that she had to keep her composure not only for her sake, but for Maxwell's sake as well, she no longer held control over her own body as she felt her hands tense up into fists while she shouted in anger at Michelle.

"What the hell are you saying! You're acting as if you spent more time with Maxwell than me! As if you're closer to Maxwell than me!"

While she kept her hands behind her back, Erika soon felt a 'wet' feeling which was accompanied with a slightly sharp pain in the places where her fingers were digging into her palms.

On the other hand, Michelle to be completely unfazed by Erika as she continued to respond to Erika in a mockingly playful manner.

"Am I?"

Erika didn't know why, but she was left utterly speechless by Michelle's remark. Just how could someone like Michelle get to Erika that much? It just doesn't make any sense.

Soon, Erika's mouth moved on its own as she shouted her reply.

"A-are you?!"

However, Michelle only smirked in response to Erika. Left with no choice, Erika turned to Maxwell before proceeding to ask him the same question.

"Is she?!"

But to Erika's dismay, Maxwell replied with something that she would have never even conceived as a possibility.

"Erika. Do as she says."

Erika couldn't even muster the strength to move her mouth in the face of Maxwell's orders. She knew that she had to follow them, that she must follow them. And yet, she just couldn't bring herself to do it.

Seeing Erika's reaction, Maxwell sighed sombrely before he confirmed his orders.

"Erika. Please leave. "

This time, Erika was able to move her mouth as she stuttered out whatever was in her mind while at the same time pointing her finger at Michelle.

"Le-leave?! But tha-that would leave you with her! It's a potential danger to your safety, please rethink thi-"

"Erika. Please do as I say."

However, Maxwell was unmoved by Erika's pleas.

Seeing, that her actions were all only done in vain, Erika forced herself to comply with Maxwell's orders.

"Yes your highness."

Left with no choice, Erika could only accept reality as she bowed reverently to Maxwell before she proceeded to make her leave.

But not without giving Michelle a cold glance on her way out first.

...

"I don't know if I told you this before but I quite like her."

Michelle couldn't help immediately letting out a remark the moment that Erika's footsteps can no longer be heard. The response she got from Maxwell was a rather blunt yet casual sentence.

"She wants to kill you. You can at least make it so I don't feel bad for her when you force me to tell her off."

"Ahahah, unfortunately for you, that's none of my concern."

Michelle chuckled as she fell onto the seat opposite Maxwell before beginning a conversation with him.

"So how are you today Leon?"

When Maxwell heard Michelle's question, he shook his head in disappointment as he answered her.

"You know I don't answer to that name anymore."

Michelle let out a chuckle when she heard Maxwell's answer before she spoke.

"Of course you don't."

Since there was no point in pursuing that empty path any further, Michelle instead decided to change gears as she changed the subject of the conversation.

"So I hear that you are introducing sewer systems and sanitation into your core cities. Feeling homesick are you?"

"You could say that, I just wanted my nation to feel a bit more homely that's all."

Maxwell continued to lounge about leisurely on his seat as he spoke with Michelle.

"Besides when you're the emperor, virtually anything is possible. Besides the Roman counterparts of this world had sewerage systems too so it really wasn't too hard to convince my administration that such an endeavour was possible. It still astounds me how sewerage didn't become commonplace until the late centuries."

Michelle could not help letting out a light chuckled as she spoke.

"That is so like you to attempt such a thing... speaking of which..."

As the two of them spoke, a sudden realisation soon came into Michelle's mind. A realisation that she wanted to share with Maxwell.

"Waging wars, conquering countries, leading your nation in your personal tastes. Apart from all this actually being reality, this sure does feel like old times doesn't it?"

Maxwell only shrugged casually in response to Michelle before he spoke.

"I'm not going to agree or disagree with that sentiment."

Soon after Maxwell said that, Michelle noticed the chess set to her right that was lying on the coffee table. It didn't take long for an idea to come to her head. With a smile, Michelle went to make a single request to Maxwell.

"So... Do you want to play a game?"

Maxwell returned the smile to Michelle before he gave her his answer.

"You're on."