Having a powerful lord as a father figure, what's wrong with just wanting to draw cards?

To prepare for the 'surprise' that Shia had prepared for him, he obediently waited in the same spot, quietly waiting...

When he heard that familiar footsteps, he turned around and immediately saw Shia, surrounded by a group of maids. She was like a pure white rose against the backdrop of green grass, captivating his eyes.

Unlike the cinched waist and tiered, cake-like hem of a court dress, and unlike the simple white dress worn on a first meeting, this dress uses lace and tassels to create a rich sense of layering without the need for a large tiered petticoat.

The long sleeves flared slightly, revealing her delicate wrists. The Dark Moon Ring on her ring finger was now even more conspicuous, making Shia even more radiant.

A knitted beige shawl was draped over her rounded, smooth shoulders, and she wore open-toed beige pointed-toe low-heeled shoes.

This outfit, combined with her red hair and ruby-like eyes, surprisingly complemented each other perfectly, adding a touch of gentleness to her passion and a hint of aloofness to her warmth.

He absolutely loves this contrast!

For a moment, she couldn't even control her facial expressions, and didn't even notice when Xia walked up to her. When she opened her mouth, the familiar scent of perfume wafted over, just like how her voice smelled sweet.

"Are you stunned?" She was pleased with Domi's reaction and adopted the queenly demeanor that Domi loved most: "I'll show you all you want in a bit. Now come with me to see Mother."

"Mmm! I'll be looking forward to it!"

After navigating the complex terrain of the palace, the two finally found the Queen's bedroom, an exquisite complex where gardens and palaces were connected. It was clear that the Queen was very health-conscious, as most of the flowers and plants in the garden were beneficial to health.

Nathiavida, the current Empress of the Lionheart Empire, is known to the world as the 'Mother of the Nation'.

Domi had done some research before, and the reason why the Queen was so beloved by the people was ultimately due to her husband's help.

When Emperor Burton raised his sword and declared war on all neighboring countries, bestowing the title of "King Xuan of Qi," the national economy was on the verge of collapse, and the people were suffering. It was this shrewd and capable woman who, together with another powerful minister, devised a plan and issued one temporary decree after another, saving the people of the empire from their misery.

As far as Domi knows, her most impressive achievement was reaching the major milestone of "land to the tiller" ahead of schedule, which effectively reduced the unemployment rate caused by the war, alleviated food shortages, and led to a socio-economic recovery.

Taking land from those who own it undoubtedly touched upon the interests of the empire itself and the major noble landowners, especially the Cumberbatch family, which was known as the 'greatest landowner in the empire,' and their opposition was the strongest.

But to this day, people still don't know how she managed to do it, and a veil of mystery remains shrouded in the annals of this 'legendary' woman.

However, all Domi knew from Shea was that she was a strict and even harsh woman.

When they arrived at the palace gate, the guards saw Shia and let them in immediately.

Entering the garden, you'll find yourself on the only way to the main palace, where a winding cobblestone path leads forward.

They stopped halfway down the road, for in their sight a woman in a gorgeous long dress was calmly watering the flowers and plants with a watering can.

The scene alone could calm a restless heart. She was surrounded by maids who took meticulous care of her, as if afraid that the woman would expend even the slightest effort.

As the two men saw her, the woman also saw them, and her gaze instantly changed from gentle to stern and scrutinizing.

Shea lowered her head slightly, thinking that the change in expression was because of her.

She gently beckoned to the two of them and led them to sit down at the stone table in the garden.

At such close range, Domi finally had the opportunity to get a good look at the queen of the country.

She was a beautiful woman with long, brown hair, her smooth strands elegantly styled in a bun at her back. Every movement, every smile, exuded a mature charm.

Her eyes were calm, and her lips parted slightly: "Sia, it's been so long since you've been back. Don't you even remember to introduce your friends to your mother?"

friend?

She calls her fiancé a friend? Dominic would be the first to disagree.

"Well, I..."

Just as Domi was about to give a formal and firm rebuttal, Shia, who was sitting next to him, gently tapped his thigh twice, a signal for him to remain silent for the time being.

Faced with the two's "three rules," Domi could only keep his grievances to himself for the time being.

"I'm sorry, Mother. If it happens again, I will definitely report to you immediately."

Shia knew that Natiavida was subtly expressing her dissatisfaction with Natiavida's decision to marry Bloomfield without consulting her or the Emperor.

“Fine, then,” Natiavida nodded at Domi with her chin, “since you can stay by Shia’s side, you must have some abilities, right? Tell me, what are you good at?”

What can I do? There are so many!

No one knows a son better than his father, and no one knows a mother better than her daughter.

Domi glanced at Xia slightly, and Xia gave him a "say something" look, which finally emboldened him to unleash his full power.

"Your Majesty, I am currently fluent in the language of the Forest Elves, the common language of the Demons, and the languages ​​of most ancient civilizations and kingdoms except for those of lost civilizations. I am also proficient in piano, dance, horsemanship, and cooking, and have some knowledge of massage and braiding."

"I've learned quite a lot, but it's not comprehensive enough."

Domi had assumed that someone like the Queen would want her son-in-law to be a talented and learned man, so since she said so, he wouldn't hold back.

"Actually, I also have perfect-level shadow magic talent. I inherited my family's magician's hand and am proficient in assassination and archery. Whether it's magic or melee, I can guarantee that no one in the world can defeat me at the same age."

Hasn't that been enough bragging?

The surrounding maids were all moved; where could they find a child with such a max level?

But she was still 'satisfied':

"So, you're already proficient in both academics and martial arts at such a young age? Even more capable than Shia, whom I've carefully nurtured for fourteen years?"

"That's not true. In my heart, Shia has always been the most amazing. There's no comparison."

Natiavida rarely showed a hint of satisfaction, and her tone softened slightly:

"Since you praise yourself so highly, how about I ask you a question? If you can answer it, I'll acknowledge that about you, how about that?"

Another problem after another? Why do adults these days like to assign 'homework'?

However, this is a trial by Xia's adoptive mother. The adoptive mother is also the mother-in-law. She must not show weakness in the mother-in-law's trial and must win!

"Your Majesty, please ask."

"In your opinion, how should the empire be governed now?"

Good heavens, he's just... good heavens!

He doesn't know how to answer this kind of question, or from what angle to answer it, because he doesn't have any detailed data. He can only see the surface of all the questions and not the underlying issues. How can he even begin to address this?

Seeing that you are both literate and martial, you insist on finding fault with everything and creating political problems for yourself, right?

Seemingly pleased with Domi's embarrassed state, Natia Veda slightly raised the corners of her mouth, as if she had achieved her goal.

"See? You're not perfect, and you're not good enough for Shia."

"No, given the time and the authority, I'm sure I can answer it!"

"Oh~ So how much access do you want?"

At this point, Domi felt like he had been tricked by this woman, but he was in a bind and had no choice but to bite the bullet and go for it.

After careful consideration, he said, "The authority to access all data and war intelligence, and to issue orders for initial adjustments!"

"Okay, I'll give it to you."

"what?"

"what?"

Domi was completely dumbfounded. They just gave him this so easily? Giving it to a twelve-year-old kid seemed a bit too childish…

Moreover, the cost of this trial son-in-law is far too high. It's like gambling the entire empire's intelligence on a perfect son-in-law who knows everything.

Wait a minute, for Natya Vida, this seems like a risk-free deal, all benefits and no harm, except it might cause some trouble for the intelligence department...

As expected of the empress, even her tactical mind is wicked.

Shea was also at a loss with her own mother. What on earth was she trying to do?

Natiavida made a move to get up, and the maid behind her immediately stepped forward to help her. Before turning to leave, she uttered her last words:

"Dominic Bloomfield, report to the intelligence department at eight o'clock tomorrow morning. Come up with whatever ideas you have and go to the various departments to persuade them to carry them out."

Upon witnessing the Empress enter her bedchamber, Domi's lips twitched uncontrollably.

So in the end, they still didn't give us everything. We even had to beg others to help us with the operation... What a mess.

The royal family arranged a room for Domi in a separate building specifically for receiving distinguished guests. It was three stories high, fully equipped, and staffed with servants. There were several other buildings like this, and Carlos also lived here.

He returned to his room alone, ignoring the servants' greetings along the way. Normally, he would at least nod in response, but now his mind was filled with the difficult problem Natiavida had presented him, even more challenging than Carlos's.

No, the two are not parallel and independent, but rather have a hierarchical relationship. When he solves the former, the latter will naturally get the answer.

Thinking about it this way makes it seem a tiny bit easier, but only a tiny bit.

Shia had just returned to the capital and was bombarded with invitations to various banquets. She was currently busy with these social engagements and had no one to keep her company. So where had that relaxed feeling from earlier gone? Give it back! Otherwise, he'd be worried sick...

As a time traveler, he actually possessed a wealth of governing strategies from various eras and countries around the world, enough to solve the current predicament of the empire.

But the difficulty lies in knowing where to begin.

In theory, it's very simple, you just have to do it this way and that way, but once you start doing it, you'll find problems everywhere, and you'll be far from your initial goal, not to mention the situation when you're all alone.

Pfft!

He suddenly lay back on the soft bed, sinking into the blankets, covering his face with one hand, and after a long silence, muttered to himself:

"Looks like I'll have to be a complete villain for once."

At this point, a strategy had taken shape in Domi's mind. Although it was a poor choice in terms of interpersonal relationships, it was absolutely guaranteed to be efficient.

Anyway, I probably won't have many more opportunities to come to the capital in the future, so let's just let it go. I'll leave the mess to Carlos to clean up.

I decided to go to bed early to conserve my energy for tomorrow.

-

The next day, the precious lark, which had long lived in the palace, perched on a branch and sang a little tune. However, a light drizzle soon began to fall, and the lark flew away. But Domi's biological clock still woke him up on time.

Rain or shine, after collecting his daily 'rewards,' he put on the classic black suit that all the palace staff, or civil servants, were wearing.

He meticulously tied his tie, polished his shoes, and stood in front of the mirror, scrutinizing his 'pseudo-civil servant' appearance.

“It’s alright, just a bit short,” he said, adjusting his collar. “But a person standing on the shoulders of power is still a giant, no matter how short they are.”

He walked out of the door holding a black umbrella, and under the astonished gazes of all the passersby, he arrived at the Empire's intelligence department, which was located in the largest, busiest, and most staffed palace within the imperial palace.

At the entrance, two hidden masters blocked his way. Raindrops lashed relentlessly against their iron armor, yet they could not budge them in the slightest.

"Halt! No unauthorized personnel allowed from the Imperial Intelligence Department."

But what if he pulls out the Empress's permission document?

"So it was the Empress's order. My apologies."

After successfully entering, he stood in front of the tightly closed door, where a series of noisy sounds could be heard, suggesting that they were very busy with their business.