Chapter 160 - Development (3)

The next day came eventually.

Alexandra was on her way to her father's office as Christian followed her behind. Alexandra carried some of the bags of cookies while Carlos carried the others. It was all just light anyways yet it was quite a handful since she is going to give one bag each to her brothers, her father, and Arthur. There are a total of 6 bags of cookies and she still hasn't included hers.

The walk to the office was quiet as nobody dared to speak. It was always like this, they would always be quiet when heading towards her father's office. It's not like they have something to talk about anyways. It's much better if she would just remain silent, talking at this time of the morning would just exhaust her even when she is fully awake. Aside from that, she is not in the mood to talk. But that doesn't mean that she is in a bad mood, she just feels like not talking at all.

Moving on, not longer than 10 minutes, they finally arrived in front of the door of her father's office. As usual, Alexandra stepped aside and Carlos was facing the door. Alexandra smoothened out the wrinkles of her dress in case if there were some and fixed her hair in case if it was messy. Carlos knocked three times on the door gently, "Your highness, the young miss is here to see you," Was what he said and seconds later, they heard a voice coming from the inside. A familiar deep voice, which must belong to my father, she thought to herself.

"Come in," They heard the voice said.

Carlos held the golden knob of the door and he twisted it as he swung the door open gently, revealing the insides of the room and Alexandra took a peek inside before she entered. She saw her father sitting behind the desk and there was standing in front of the desk which blocked half of the view of her father. Based on the build, the hair, and the cloak, this must be Sir Friyedor since he is the only one Alexandra knows who has that kind of hair and build.

The man turned his head around and Alexandra was able to see his face. Her guess was correct, it really is Sir Friyedor but why is he here early in the morning? Were they talking about something important? I must have interrupted them, Alexandra thought to herself as she looked at Sir Friyedor who smiled at her before he spoke, "Oh, a pleasant morning, Alexandra. Why are you here in Claude's office early in the morning? Did he ask you to come? Really, this guy, he is not thinking how bothersome it is to ask someone to come early at this morning just like what he asked me to do," Friyedor looked at her father at the corner of his eyes for a moment before he returned his gaze to Alexandra.

Alexandra smiled back at him before she responded, "A pleasant afternoon to you too, Sir Friyedor. I came here for my own accord since I am going to give papa something," Was what Alexandra said to him as she smiled at him. She heard her father let out a sigh and it grabbed her attention, why is he sighing early in the morning? Alexandra asked herself.

"I already told you not to call me by my second name and besides, you were the one who suddenly appeared out of nowhere inside my office while I was doing my work. And just to let you know, it is also bothersome for me when you would suddenly appear in my office early in this morning while I was doing my work when you don't have something to talk about," Alexander said in his monotonous tone of voice and he let out a sigh again. Based on what he said, it seems like Sir Friyedor would always appear out of nowhere in his office while he would be doing his work.

Just like how Harrison would suddenly appear out of nowhere inside my room in the middle of the night, sometimes in the afternoon if I was inside my room. Somehow, Alexandra understands what his father felt. They have the same circumstances or situation after all.

"Whatever you say, well then, I'm taking my leave—" Sir Friyedor was interrupted when Alexandra tugged on his sleeves, she needs to tell him something before he takes his leave. Knowing him, he would probably just use teleportation to leave the room instead of walking out of the door. Friyedor was startled when he felt someone tug on his coat suddenly while he was speaking and he looked down to see that it was Alexandra, "What is it?" Sir Friyedor asked her.

Even the other people inside the room, including her father, were also curious about why she suddenly did that. "Could you tell Arthur to meet me in the garden later? I also have to give him something," Alexandra pleaded as she smiled at Sir Friyedor.

"Will do. Although I am curious about what you are going to give them, I am not going to ask," Sir Friyedor said and he smiled back at Alexandra. Alexandra's expression brightened and her smile widened when she heard that he is going to tell him. "Thank you," She said. Sir Friyedor just smiled and nodded at her as a response. Sir Friyedor looked ahead of him and Alexandra took a step back, "Well then, I'm taking my leave," Was what he said before he vanished into thin air in just a blink of an eye. Now, she was left with her personal knight and her father along with his personal knight beside him.

"What is it that you are going to give me? It is pretty unusual for you to be here early just to give something, is it that important?" Her father asked in a monotonous tone of voice yet it was lacing with curiosity. Alexandra smiled at him before she responded and approached him, holding one bag of cookies in her hand. "It's not really that important but I want to give these to you early as possible rather than later in the afternoon," Alexandra told him and handed him a bag with the cookies inside.

"What is this?" Her father asked her as he took the bag from her hands and he stared at it, a hint of curiosity was seen in his eyes as he looked at it. Alexandra smiled, "Cookies. It would be better if I gave it early since it's just newly baked. I don't know if you like sweets since you would always just drink tea while at our tea parties. Those were made by Diana since I don't know how to bake cookies," Alexandra responded with a smile on her face. The tone of her voice was gentle and soothing to the ears. The expression on her face was bright and filled with joy. The smile on her face was tender while her eyes were closed in the process.

Her father hummed before he responded and placed the cookies on top of his desk, next to the stack of papers. "I appreciate it, thank you," Her father said and Alexandra must have been imagining it but the corners of his lips were slightly lifted up but as soon as she blinked, it disappeared like it never happened. Probably my imagination, she thought to herself.

"Then, I'll be taking my leave since I still have to give some to my brothers and Arthur," Alexandra said and she smiled at her father before she slightly bowed her head. "If you are going to look for Chandler, he is training alone at the training grounds. Calixander would usually be in the garden during this time, probably just walking around. Gilbert would be either at the tree house or at the library during this time. He could be at the garden with the maze-like thing, Carlos knows where that is. Since you already know where Christian would be during at this time, I'll just not tell you," Her father said as she turned her heel around and already took a few steps towards the door. She stopped from her tracks and she turned around to look at her father who was just staring at her with no expression on his face. Their gazes met and Alexandra didn't look away.

For him to know all of that, he must either ask somebody about it probably the maids or their personal knights or he already knows it. "Which garden can I find him?" Alexandra asked him as he looked at him, she was referring to Calixander and even though she didn't mention who it was, her father already knows who she was referring to. "The one filled with Daisies. Carlos knows where that is, you can ask him to guide you there," Her father said and he continued doing his work. He held a fountain pen on his hand.

"Where is the fountain that I gave you during the Winter Star? I have never seen you used it, not even once in the past months. Did you not like it, papa?" Alexandra asked, curiosity lacing her tone of voice. Her eyes wide with wonder as she stared at him. She noticed him stiffened.

Right, he placed it inside one of the drawers so that he could cherish it or something. That was the first gift that he received from her. "I placed it inside one of the drawers. I don't want to use it and would just rather cherish it," Her father said. Alexandra's eyes widened and she didn't expect that response from him, it was nothing expensive and rare. It wasn't a gem or diamond which you would rarely find but he decided to cherish that? The fountain that she just bought in the market?

"Although I am shocked and happy that you wanted to cherish it, but it would be such a waste for you to not use it since I bought it for you so you use it for your work. I want to see you use it not rather than keeping it inside your drawer so you can cherish it. Okay, papa?" Alexandra said as she smiled at her father, her eyes closing in the process. Even though she said that with such a bright and innocent face, it dealt a huge blow on him.

"Then, I'll see you later, papa," When Alexandra noticed that he didn't say anything and just remained still like a statue. Was he shocked or angry by what I said? Well, he doesn't look like he was angry since he isn't emitting this scary and enormous aura. Her father's expression was unbeknownst to her since he was facing down, staring at the papers on his hand.

Carlos opened the door for her and he bowed at her father who remained in his previous position before he followed Alexandra and closed the door behind him. "Did I said something wrong earlier, Carlos? Papa didn't say anything right after and just remained still, I wonder if he is angry or shocked by what I said. I just told him that I would rather see him using it rather than just keeping it inside his drawers," Alexandra asked Carlos as soon as he followed behind her and they walked away from the door of the office. Heading towards the stairs so that they can go to the library to meet Christian. She wants to give him the cookies already.

"No, I don't think that you said something wrong, young miss," Carlos responded. Ah, his highness, must have been shocked when the young miss said that, Carlos thought and tried to imagine what the emperor would look like with a shocked expression on his face.

Alexandra just hummed as a response before they continued walking, silence conquered them as they walked. Maybe I should try to bake some on my own, she thought to herself remembering what Diana told her yesterday night before she left the room and went to sleep. She said that it would be much better if I did it on my own. I'll just ask her some time to teach me how to do it.

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Extra:

As soon as Alexandra left the room, Alexander regained his composure and he lifted his head. "Was keeping it inside my drawers a wrong decision, Lysander?" He asked his personal knight who was standing beside him. He was able to witness the scene and somehow, he wants to laugh because that was the first time after years that he saw the emperor like that.

"No, I believe there was nothing wrong about cherishing it, your highness. But the young miss has a point, she bought it for you to use it. Besides, isn't it weird to cherish that fountain pen that you could see anywhere in the market? Aside from that, fountain pens are normally used to write or sign which is suitable for the work that you are doing. I am just stating my opinion, your highness. Pardon me if I was rude," Lysander responded.

"Then why did you not stop me when I asked you to put it in my drawer? You already knew that right from that start," Alexander said in his usual tone of voice.

"I was simply following orders, your highness," Lysander said and he heard the emperor just let out a sigh. "Anyways, get it. I want to use it now," He said right after he sighed.