After we finished dealing with the crown prince, the king called Lina and me over.
"Karen, Lina, I truly apologize. My foolish son has been making you two angry nonstop. And Lanivia, you are one of my citizens. If anyone calls you a pet, tell me—I'll turn them into a pet instead."
The king's words to Lani startled me so much that I raised both hands to stop him. That was far too dangerous.
"Your Majesty, please don't say things like that. Lani is still young—she'll take it literally."
I then turned to Lani and gently warned her.
"Lani, don't take His Majesty's words seriously, okay? You must never turn people into pets."
"I understand."
From her tone, I could hear she would behave. As expected of Lani. I held out my pinky to her.
"Make a pinky promise with your big brother."
"Pinky promise—I won't turn people into pets."
"Good girl."
Seeing how smart and obedient she was, I patted her head. Lina did the same.
Turning people into pets is stripping away their human rights. Sure, the guy who said Lani was a pet deserved punishment, but turning him into a pet would be way too much. Normal punishment is enough.
"Karen, you two said earlier that you'd teach Lanivia properly. It seems you've succeeded—she's more mature than Steve."
The crown prince, still scrubbing the floor, got hit by a stray comment. But I agreed with the king.
"Dragons are highly intelligent creatures—they don't act on impulse. But Lani is still just a few months old. We can't ignore her feelings."
Children grow while watching the backs of their parents. Parents must set an example and patiently teach right from wrong. A child's emotional development depends entirely on their guardians and environment.
"Hahaha! It's truly Lanivia's blessing that she met you all."
"Hahaha… wait—Your Highness."
In the cheerful atmosphere, I called out to the crown prince again, because something important came to mind. He shrank back nervously.
"…Did I do something wrong?"
"No. I just have some questions. Have you met your fiancée recently?"
"I saw her the day before yesterday."
"Did her outfit match your tastes?"
"Yes."
If his fiancée hated him, she would've dressed in a style opposite of his preferences. But dressing according to his tastes didn't necessarily mean she liked him—maybe she was trying to please him for long-term benefits.
Earlier I said the prince must not mistreat his fiancée, but she also needs to be a good person. If she has bad intentions and the prince refrains from punishing her because of my words, that would be my fault.
"Karen, why do you ask?"
The king questioned me, so I explained everything.
"Your Majesty, I think you should carefully investigate the fiancée's character. I'm not saying Her Highness the princess said anything wrong—I just think there's another possibility."
"And that is?"
"I originally thought the fiancée might simply dislike the crown prince, which is why she looked so stern. But since the prince said she dressed exactly according to his preferences, I suspect she might have ulterior motives."
"You mean Elena may be aiming for the power that comes with becoming queen? And doesn't sincerely like Steve?"
As expected, the king grasped my meaning instantly. A queen holding power is normal—but abusing it is unacceptable.
"Exactly. I'm not saying she's a bad person, but we should be cautious. She is meant to become the mother of the nation, after all."
A queen, like the king, must prioritize the country's interests over her own. A queen who causes the nation to regress is no good queen.
The king stroked his chin, nodding.
"You're right. This is important. But I'm very busy. Karen, when you come to the royal castle tomorrow, stop by and meet Elena for me. Help me see what kind of person she is."
Am I really that capable? Able to judge someone instantly? I waved my hands.
"Me? I'm not that good at reading people. And I'm busy tomorrow too."
Tomorrow I have to install the automatic door, install solar lamp posts, and bake a cake. I'm super busy.
"That's true. Then the day after tomorrow? You have nothing scheduled then, right?"
The king was dead set on having me meet her. What's the point? I'm just a commoner. She might not even want to talk to me.
But I sighed and agreed anyway.
"Fine. I'll meet her the day after tomorrow—it was my suggestion after all."
"I look forward to your evaluation."
"Even though it was my idea… honestly, I think it'd be better if His Highness just has a child instead."
That still feels like the easier solution. The king smiled.
"I'll consider it."
The crown prince—who still hadn't finished cleaning—interrupted.
"Father, please don't consider that! I'll work hard to become a good king!"
And then he got yelled at.
"Have you finished cleaning? If not, why are you talking? Hurry up."
"Yes!"
He scrubbed faster. When he was almost done, I picked up a bottle of champagne and handed it to the king. It was time to send them off.
"Your Majesty, I doubt anyone here can eat anymore. Let's end it here. This grape-flavored champagne is for all of you. Her Highness the princess can drink it too."
"Thank you. Steve, are you done? We're returning to the castle."
From my angle, the prince seemed mostly finished.
"I'm done! …But I'm going to Elena's house with Sophia."
He stood and hesitated.
The king rubbed his temples and shook his head in disappointment.
"Steve, your eyesight really is bad. Do you not know what time it is? Visiting without notice this late is extremely rude."
I hadn't even considered that. Showing up unannounced—especially at night—would throw the host household into chaos, especially when the guests are royalty.
"But Father, you told me to go immediately."
Is he… blaming the king? Does he even think before he speaks? Has he actually received the highest education? Anyone would know to apologize here. Why is he provoking the king?
"That was a figure of speech. You can't even understand something that simple? I was hoping to enjoy a peaceful retirement someday, but it seems having a child in your place really is the better choice."
The king's tone sounded very serious.
The crown prince panicked, ran to the queen, and knelt while crying.
"Mother! Please persuade Father! I haven't even become king yet—I don't want to have a child!"
But the queen simply glanced at the king's expression before speaking.
"Steve, I also want to hold a grandchild soon."
"Why…?"
The prince practically had no one left to rely on. He was on the verge of tears again. Seriously, can he not waste time now? I just wanted the floor cleaned before it started smelling.
So I tiredly told him:
"Your Highness, His Majesty is just joking with you."
"…Really?! Father!"
He reacted a second too late, but then burst into joyful tears and rushed to the king.
The king looked at me, confused. I sighed, shook my head, and gestured for him to just go along with it.
"I'm merely joking with you. If you don't want me to commit to it, then work hard so your mother and I can retire peacefully."
The prince stood straight instantly, energized again.
"Yes, Father! I understand!"
"If you understand, then return to the castle. Karen, I had a great time today."
"I'm glad to hear that."
I smiled, thinking: Finally, they're leaving. Thank goodness.
We reached the entrance, where the carriage had been waiting for a while. Just as the king was about to leave, something came to his mind.
"By the way, about that lamp post—I'm very satisfied with it. Tomorrow, I'll tell you where to install them."
"All right. Please inform the guards that I'll need to dig into the walls and floors around the gate. I'll patch everything up afterward, so they shouldn't panic. Also, I'll be sealing off the road, so redirect anyone who comes."
I'll need another electric magic stone from Lina later.
"I'll give the orders."
The king boarded the carriage. Then the queen approached me.
"Mr. Karen, please don't forget my cake."
"I won't. Please take care on your way back. Goodbye."
"Goodbye."