Late Evening - Late Spring : Kingdom of Kaelallan

- Eulia Coletti ~

*Snoring* *Snort* "hmm.." -Wow.. I slept really well..- I simply laid there for a moment to enjoy the blissful warmth of a soft blanket before realizing something was wrong. -WAIT WHAT!?-

I jolted up, throwing the blanket that wrapped around me off.

-Im in the library.. why am I sleeping here..-

I looked down at the blanket and quickly realized it wasn't mine. -But its so soft.. and warm..-

I looked around to see if anyone was here and let out a sigh when I couldn't sense anyone. -Well.. its mine now..-

Taking my time, I neatly folded it and put it under my stack of books I had set on the table.

As I was folding, my mind started to finally wake up, and I was realizing just how much didn't add up.

-Why was I asleep.. whose blanket is it.. when did I even come to the library..- These questions would come to rule my mind for quite a while.

Once at the bottom of the stairs, I noticed no one was here, even the librarian was gone. -What time is it..- Pushing open the door to exit the library, I looked towards the window at the end of the hall and noticed it was dark out.

-Wait.. so how long did I sleep for then..-

Coming to the end of the hall, I saw light coming from one of the faculty offices and decided to check it out.

*Click*

"Hm?" She looked up at the door not expecting for someone to walk in on her.

It was my apprentice, Catlin Friedkin, a 24 year old cat demihuman mage and teacher. "What are you doing in your office so late?"

"Master?!" Quickly throwing aside the things on her desk and fixing her glasses, she straightened up.

"Calm down, I'm not here to make you do anything, just curious about something."

"And what would that be, Master?"

"When was the last time we talked? Was that yesterday?"

"That was the day before yesterday.."

-What.. I SLEPT FOR 24 HOURS?!- I glanced down at the blanket in my hands. -What a dangerous blanket..-

"Did something happen? You seem different from usual.."

"I guess? I had my first good night's sleep in an extremely long time."

As if her eyes were lights, they filled with energy and hope. "I'm glad to hear that!"

Over the past few years since I took her in as an apprentice, I never really got much sleep so I would sometimes take out my pent up aggression from my lack of sleep on her training regiment. Her hearing that I managed to actually get some good sleep made her believe I'd ease up on the training.

"Haah.. well I'll give you your training later, I want to stop by home for some things first." I looked over at the high stack of papers on her desk. "Don't overwork yourself with papers.. actually send some of those over to Judy Casas, she took a bribe from a noble brat again."

"Why don't you just fire her?"

"She is actually a pretty good teacher even if her personality sucks." -I do need to have a talk with her again though..- "Well, I'll be back in a bit. Going to get something to eat too."

"Okay! Be safe! Don't take any sweets from strangers!"

I glanced back with an irritated look.

She quickly stiffened up and broke into a cold sweat.

"Haah.. Whatever.. just don't be stupid."

*Click*

I quickly closed the door and started heading home.

Luckily there weren't many knights out so I made it home quickly without any stoppages.

Although my house was fairly large, it was nothing compared to some of the noble estates. -They're just too big..-

Pushing open my gate, I walked inside and took off my shoes.

"Welcome home Miss!" A beautiful young blonde elf looked at me with a bright smile.

"Thanks. Sorry I took so long to come back."

"Did something happen?"

"I slept well, that's what... Here, go ahead and take these books to my reading room."

"It's good to hear you finally got some good sleep!" She glanced down at the blanket before giving me a smug look as she took the books. "Did you find a man?"

*Smack* "Don't get the wrong idea."

"Haha, alright, alright. Is there anything else you'd like me to do?"

"If you could start fixing breakfast.. I'm just going to put this blanket away then I'll be right back.

"Right away Miss!"

"Haah.." -She's always so energetic..- With a subtle smile, I headed to my room.

Once I got inside, I quickly closed the door and hopped on my bed.

I shoved my face into the blanket again as some warmth came to my cheeks. -I really wish the person who left me this at least left a note..-

- Oliver Kaelallan ~

After a day of rest to make sure I was fully healed, I was back out of bed and moving again.

But while I was resting, the amount of work I needed to do piled up so I was in my office working late.

An absolutely massive pile of paperwork piled up while I was bedridden to the point that it was demotivating to even look at.

"Martha. Are Helen and Lucy in bed yet?"

"Yes my lord, they both went to sleep right after dinner."

"Haah.. good.." Trying to get myself to stop procrastinating, I thought of what needed my most urgent attention. -I guess it's this..-

I looked at a piece of paper showing the strength index of the new coastal dungeon that appeared a few months ago.

'8.1' (Scale is the same as for earthquakes)

I sat there and stared at the number for a moment. -Sh*t..-

Although dungeons were cash cows for nations, when they got too strong, they became serious problems.

Setting it to the side, I decided to put it off and think about it later.

As time passed, the stack of papers steadily disappeared until I was finally on the last few papers.

The only issue was that the few papers I had left were very important.

I needed to figure out what I wanted to do with the nobles asking for compensation after the disaster, figure out just how much more funding the guild will need to hold out until the convoy gets back and figure out what to do with the dungeon.

I leaned back in my chair and swung around to look out the window.

It was morning already, with a beautiful orange sunrise on the horizon.

-What am I stressing for.. I've got plenty of time to think about it..- "Miss, can you get me some warm tea?"

The maid at the door who swapped with Martha quickly gave a nod and walked out of the room.

-I guess the Dungeon problem will fix itself once I absorb Zan and its neighbors because it'll give all of their adventurers access to it..-

*Clink*

The maid came in and set a cup of tea on my desk while I was turned around.

I reached back and picked it up, putting the fine glass to my lips.

"Mmm.." A warm smile came to my face as I thought about how well things were going for Kaelallan. -tastes like success..-