They don't want me to try anymore.

Let's get down to business.

Seeing that Richard had relaxed, Alice added, "If possible, I'd also like to establish a company and factory in Connaught. If you can help, junior, I can give you some shares...it might even bring in tens of thousands of gold coins in profit each year!"

Richard's eyes widened instinctively.

Although he had never lacked money in his personal life at the academy because of his status as a "Golden Apostle," he still clearly felt the financial pressure after returning to his hometown.

Connaught is a small place where only the port is profitable, but even that is largely taken by the Empire, leaving the national treasury consistently empty.

In the past, it was one thing for the royal family to be inactive, but whenever he wanted to do something, he inevitably faced financial difficulties everywhere.

Putting everything else aside, he wanted to add a few good ships to the navy a month ago, but he still hasn't gotten it done.

Therefore, Alice's proposal was extremely tempting to him.

Moreover, even setting aside the financial issue, allowing the power of Vander, represented by Alice, to enter Connaught might be able to counterbalance the Imperial forces in the future...

Alice saw a glint in Richard's eyes, and two tiny figures appeared behind him, hands on hips.

Someone whispered in her ear, "That's right, that's exactly how our princess pursues men! Why bother competing with that pirate and barbarian in strength?"

Another said, "Next, let's push him down in one go and then do that and that again...!"

The first little figure shook its head slightly: "Isn't this a bit too princess-like..."

"Just tell me if you want to or not?"

"……think!"

An agreement has been reached!

Alice sighed softly, lamenting that she had gone astray.

Just as she was about to discuss the details further with Richard, there was a knock on the bedroom door.

While Richard and Alice do indeed have a close relationship, the news that Princess Vanderbilt was in Prince Connaught's bedroom is still quite sensational at the moment.

Alice winked at Richard and sneaked into the walk-in closet in the bedroom.

Seeing that the person was hidden, Richard immediately opened the door.

The official in charge of ceremonies, who had previously been present, was now visibly excited as he delivered the news:

"Your Highness, we have just received a letter from the princess of Vanderbilt..."

Okay, it's secondhand information.

Richard pretended to be hearing this for the first time, playing along with the other man's emotions, and remarked that his humble Connaught was receiving visits from two important figures at the same time, and that he must treat them well, and that everyone should do their best to prepare a welcome dinner...

After everyone had left, Richard closed the door and turned back to continue talking to Alice.

Then he saw the open window.

And the red-haired beauty who was looking down at her boots, feeling embarrassed for accidentally bringing mud into the bedroom.

Yes, that's right...

It's Luvia.

what? !

"Richard!"

Before Richard could react, Luvia had already pressed herself against him, opening her arms without hesitation to offer a full, wonderfully tactile, but somewhat suffocating embrace.

However, Richard couldn't enjoy it.

Alice is still in the dressing room!

She's watching!

Why, why did it turn out like this?

Luvia continued, "The original plan was to arrive at night, but I couldn't wait, so I sneaked in..."

dong dong dong.

Just then, there was another knock on the bedroom door.

"Your Highness, the snacks are ready..."

This time it was Katyusha who came.

"Oh dear, should I hide first?"

Knowing that their relationship should not be exposed, Luvia consciously let go of his hand and found a place to hide.

Richard reached out to stop him:

"No! Not the walk-in closet! That's... ah... sigh!"

Chapter 125 The dressing room can't fit three people!

"Katyusha, I have no appetite today. You can take these and eat them with the other maids."

"But Your Highness..."

"No buts."

Richard patted the little maid's shoulder, a hint of pleading even in his eyes.

Seeing her prince in such a state, Katyusha, though still completely bewildered, had no choice but to obediently turn and leave, her mind still racing as she went:

Is there something you're having trouble saying, Your Highness?

How can I help share this burden?

Richard, however, had no time to pay attention to the maid's nagging.

He quickly closed the door and went to the dressing room.

Due to the Connaught royal family's consistent frugality, the dressing room was small and contained few clothes. When Richard entered, he saw Luvia and Alice each leaning against several gowns, gazing at each other within a meter of each other.

No one spoke; the atmosphere was silent.

But this silence was deafening to Richard.

In a daze, he saw a large character for "death" in mid-air.

Three seconds later, he couldn't hold back any longer and asked in a low voice, "You guys..."

"Lady Luvia, it's been a long time. I have a question..."

Alice interrupted Richard abruptly, staring at the red-haired beauty with a standard, polite smile: "The renowned Sword of the Empire, isn't it a bit too impolite of you to just casually wander into another royal family's dressing room?"

When faced with Alice's question, Luvia was initially embarrassed, but then she remembered, "Didn't you sneak in before me?"

What right do you have to talk about me like that?

She glared back, but Alice chuckled, and while adjusting the sleeves of her dress behind her, she said, already prepared:

"As for me... I'm just here to check on my junior's daily life. After all, he's been fighting against the empire's oppression, so it's inevitable that he can't take good care of himself. It's really heartbreaking."

"For example, these two outfits are made of nice fabric, but the style is a bit old-fashioned. They're fine for meeting elders, but not so suitable for meeting peers... Junior Richard, if you don't mind, I can send you a batch of Van Dan's most fashionable clothes tomorrow~"

"And the pastries Katyusha just brought over... Hmm, the cook's skills are superb, but the ingredients were a bit lacking, the magic content is very low. Junior, if you'd like to try something else, I can..."

The way she's talking makes it seem like she's posing as the mistress of the palace.

Luvia wanted to refute, but found that she really couldn't be like Alice.

She knows nothing about clothes or cooking!

They usually wear armor and eat military rations.

And what's with this talk of resisting the oppression of the empire... isn't that just deliberately putting her, an imperial citizen, down?

Luvia's face grew redder as she thought about it, and finally she simply said in a low voice:

"Fashionable clothes are not conducive to drawing a sword!"

"Junior, you are a prince and a summoner, so why do you always have to be ready to draw your sword?"

"Richard has many enemies; we need to be aware of the potential dangers!"

"So, from which country do most of his enemies come, Miss Imperial Sword?"

"..."

Within minutes, the two sides exchanged several rounds of questions.

Richard had a vague feeling that his walk-in closet had become a powder keg.

However, he didn't know that Alice was already in a very restrained state.

Although the princess wanted to get rid of Luvia, she also rationally understood that Luvia was an important asset for Richard in his success within the empire.

For Richard's safety, she really couldn't let him get completely angry.

At least not now...

Damn it.

Meanwhile, Luvia...

As a military general, she was not good with words and was at a disadvantage at this moment.