[Leif's POV—Office—Weeks Later]
Knock! Knock!
"Come in," I groaned, not looking up from the mountain of papers before me.
Nick stepped in carefully, balancing a cup of steaming tea. "My lord… it's time to take a break."
I waved a dismissive hand. "Just put it here, Nick. I'll finish this letter first, then I promise I'll take a break."
He placed the tea on the edge of my desk and peeked at the letter I was scribbling on. "My lord… who are you writing to?"
I held up the letter dramatically, letting the inked words flutter in the candlelight. "All the neighboring empires' royal families."
Nick blinked. "Neighboring empires, my lord? Why them?"
"To maintain a good relationship, Nick," I said, stamping the letter with my seal.
Nick frowned. "But… why would we need to maintain good relations? We're independent now, aren't we?"
