the only true princess

Pakiri. A dry sound echoed softly through the silent office. "..." Elfriede instinctively took a breath and took off her pen. It rolls with a faint sound against the edge of the inkwell. A dull pain runs down the fingertips of my right hand. I knew it without even looking. The nails, which have not been well cared for and are not well nourished, are split vertically and cannot withstand long periods of writing. Blood was slowly seeping from deep within the cracks. "...No." Murmuring softly, Elfriede quickly pulls the handkerchief in. What I was writing now was an invitation to a tea party hosted by the First Princess. If blood falls on the white fine paper, it will be rewritten. The handkerchief I pressed against my finger had been washed many times and its fibers had hardened. It is not very absorbent and instead rubs against the wound, causing increased pain. Still, there's no replacement. Elfriede held her fingers tightly, waiting for the blood to stop, and ran her eyes over the desk. Next to the stack of invitations is a pile of documents that are still untouched. A draft of the reply received from the neighboring country's envoy. The wording is stronger than necessary, and sending it as is could lead to unnecessary backlash. It needs to be revised to tone it down and give it more meaning. There are also petitions from local lords. Tax deferral, postponement of flood control work, request for military deployment―― The content was scattered, but all of the projects were sure to become sparks if left unchecked. In addition, materials for the following day's meeting. This is a summary of the reports coming from each department, highlighting the issues and priorities. All of these documents should be read by diplomats, civil servants, or even princes and princesses themselves. It was all piled up on her desk now. The time is already around midnight. However, there is no maid to bring tea to this room. There are no civil servants to help. First of all, most of the documents on this desk are It wasn't something Elfriede, the third princess, should have. Still. Elfriede took one small breath, wrapped the handkerchief around her bleeding fingers, and took the pen again. He attracts a petition from the local lord. Extract the main points, recall past examples of responses, and write concise instructions in the margins. Not too strong, not too weak. While standing up to the opponent, do not let them cross the line that cannot be crossed as a royal palace. ――Leave the byline blank. The name of the First Prince is written here. He writes instructions, puts together a proposal for adjustments, and leaves the responsibility to his brother's signature. That's nothing new. "...next" He muttered matter-of-factly and moved on to the next document. In the end, it wasn't until the outside of the window started to turn a wispy white that I was able to sleep. Only urgent cases are somehow cleared up. That's enough, I tell myself. I walked unsteadily back to the bedroom, He collapses into the bed like he's throwing himself into it. My consciousness was about to sink, at that moment. There was a subtle knock. The door opens faster than you can reply. "It's a remand." Entering with a dry voice was Elfriede's maid. He doesn't look at me, he doesn't ask permission, he puts down a bunch of papers and a little tray, and then he immediately turns back on his heel. The sound of a door closing. The silence that remained. Elfriede crawls out of bed, enduring a stiff shoulder that pierces her brain. I looked at the table and sighed. Next to a pile of documents, there was a pitcher of water and a slice of brown bread. And a thin plate of soup with no ingredients. ――Breakfast as usual. Elfriede takes one of the documents, bites into the brown bread with one hand, and pours it down with water. I don't really know what the soup tastes like. Out of the corner of my eye, the back of my split nail still oozed and hurt. Still, I couldn't stop turning the pages. I finally finished looking through all the paperwork around the time I had finished the nutritional supplement, which could not be called a meal. Suddenly, his eyes fell on his fingertips, the handkerchief still wrapped around him. The blood has stopped, but the heat is still there behind the cracked nail. ――Leave it alone and let it fester. If that happens, it will cause problems at work. That much, we must avoid. Elfriede took a small breath and headed for the cupboard. What I took out was ointment and bandages. I have little recollection of ever seeing a doctor attached to the royal palace. Her sister would immediately call a doctor if she became even slightly ill, but Elfriede didn't even have the time to see her in the first place. So when I went out for diplomatic work, Whenever I have the slightest opportunity, I buy more medicine and keep it on hand. Before I knew it, that had become the norm. Apply ointment and bandage. If it were left as it is, it would be called unsightly I put gloves on from above and hid it. This is fine. I told myself that, Elfriede returned to her desk. Still wearing his gloves, Elfriede returned to his desk. First, we will re-organize the cases that have come up from each department. Things that need to be handled today, things that can be passed on to tomorrow, things that will move if you only look up to judgment. Write a concise priority list for each and summarize it in a separate document. ――Today's priority note. Originally, it was created by civil servants and looked at by members of the royal family. However, this too had somehow become Elfriede's role. Next, prepare the paper for the prince and princess. "Only cases you would like to see confirmed by the end of today" Give it a title like that and list only the things that are really “just need to check”. All the ingredients for judgment and key points are in place. It's the bare minimum that can't be cut any further. Fold the finished paper in half and prepare it for delivery to each office. ――Even though I know it won't be read. In fact, neither yesterday's nor the day before came back, piled on the edge of my desk. Still, not making it wasn't an option. If you don't make it, no one will judge you, and in the end, everything will fall apart. That's all, more trouble. Elfriede put down her pen, I reached for the next document. Shortly before the morning bell rang, Elfriede's desk was already filled. The first thing we took care of was to confirm the foreign envoys who were scheduled to visit. Accommodation rooms to allocate during your stay. The royal palace, the palace, or the guesthouse. Status and hierarchy, complaints about past visits, and number of companions. While comparing them, Choose a room that is neither too big nor too small, and that doesn't create unnecessary misunderstandings. Next, dietary restrictions. Ingredients that cannot be eaten religiously. Alcoholic beverages that have been a problem in the past. Avoidance of certain spices. Check the list and add instructions for sending it to the kitchen. ――If you make even one mistake, it could become a diplomatic issue. We will also look at the draft meeting submitted by the interpreter. The way he speaks is a little strong. The literal translation creates unnecessary overtones. Elfriede uses a red pen to soften endings, obscure subjects, and rewrite expressions to avoid assertions. He cuts out words that could be taken as "rejection," remembers past disputes, and avoids words that could become landmines. ――Three years ago, negotiations nearly broke down using the same phrase. The memory naturally moved my hands. Next, confirm the gift. What to give and what to avoid. In light of the list of past problems, we will re-select safe products that do not cause misunderstandings. Not too expensive, not too cheap. It's not too meaningful and not rude. Finally, drop the warning that sums it all up on one page. "Points to note based on past history" ――Paper that should be useful if someone reads it. This is a diplomat's job. It's not what a princess does. It's not the Third Princess' job to shut up and clean up. But no one did. So, here it is. Elfriede prepared the paper as if nothing had happened I reached for the next document. In the morning, it's not over yet. ※ The noon bell rang. It was a long time ago that I realized that this was a signal for lunch. Elfriede leaves her desk and walks down the hallway, carrying a stack of papers. All I could eat was the rest of my morning brown bread. While standing, I turn the page. Chew it, swallow it, and look at the next page. The very idea of having lunch wasn't in my life right now. The place we were heading to was a conference room. A large oval table. Check the number of chairs and remember the seating order. Who will be late. Who won't come. Who and who should not be seated next to each other. I rearrange it in my head and arrange the documents. In the center, today's agenda. On the right, reports from each department. On the left hand side, reference material. Place the inkwell on the edge of the desk, check the nib, Refill any low amounts. Originally, it was a preparation carried out by the royal maid. But the only person here today was the Third Princess. "...that" A civil servant arrives late and stops at the door. "Regarding this morning... I didn't hear that your plans have changed." Elfriede turns around and responds immediately. "The second agenda item comes first. The third one will go back depending on the time." "Well, but that's it――" "Here's the alternative." Hand over a document. A supposed counterargument. The necessary explanation. A short supplement. The civil servant was speechless for a moment, then nodded hastily. "...I understand." "It starts in five minutes. The seats are still there." "Yes" The civil servant leaves. Elfriede checked her watch and took a deep breath. Reschedule and adjust the order to avoid delays. No one asked me to. No one appreciates it. Still, if you don't do it, the meeting won't go around. Noon had long passed.