Chapter 2: The Welcome Banquet
Flora and I lost ourselves in conversation for a long time after that. Eventually, we both fell asleep in my bed.
As far as I was concerned, this was how any sleepover was supposed to end, but I wasn’t sure the nobles of this world would see things that way. I was relieved when Flora seemed in a good mood when we woke up.
Just like Mina did every morning, she somehow appeared right after I opened my eyes and pulled aside the curtains. Alongside Mina was the maid assigned to Flora. She should have been in the west wing, but here she was with clothes for Flora. She didn’t seem thrown off in the slightest and started brushing Flora’s hair as though her being here had been the plan all along.
After Anna, the former head maid, had been dismissed, there had been some disarray among the maids, but Raisa had clearly brought order back.
“Lady Flora, would you like to have breakfast in my room or the dining room?” I asked.
“I’m fine with either. Let’s eat where you usually eat,” she said, a knowing smile on her face.
I always ate breakfast in the dining room with Alexei, and I had a feeling she could see right through me. I agreed, and the two of us made our way to the dining room to find that Alexei and Mikhail were already there.
“Good morning, Prince Mikhail, brother. What a fine morning.” While I greeted them with a smile, I shot a confused glance at Mikhail. What was he doing here?
“Good morning, Ekaterina and Flora,” Mikhail replied, beaming.
“His Highness wished to train with me this morning, so we’re having breakfast together too,” Alexei explained.
It was very subtle, but I could hear a tinge of reluctance in his voice.
“My... You said you’d train after dinner yesterday, and you also trained this morning?” I said.
“Someone stopped me yesterday—told me exercising after a meal wasn’t wise. I trained in the morning to make up for it. Besides, I thought joining the knights of the renowned Order of Yulnova for training would do my imperial knights some good.”
Is that so? That meant the people in this world also knew that you should avoid strenuous exercise after a meal.
The prince was such a serious boy. The health of the future emperor was
