Clorinde's investigation was in full swing, but Richard wasn't the least bit nervous. That's because the cases Clorinde was investigating had already passed through his review; they were handpicked and filtered. No matter how hard she dug, it wouldn't trace back to him.
Lynette, who was fully aware of the entire situation, asked curiously, "Aren't you afraid Clorinde will beat you up for this?"
After all, Richard dragged her to the Ministry, dumped his work on her, and even let Furina take half the credit. Anyone would be pissed off getting set up like that.
"First of all, she can't beat me. Second, Lynette, I think you've misunderstood me. Do you really think I did all this out of spite, just to get back at Clorinde?"
Lynette gave him a skeptical look, ready to hear whatever ridiculous excuse he'd give this time.
"When someone wants to integrate into a group, the first thing they must do is make others see their value. The second is to understand and respect the group's rules. Once they achieve both, they can begin forming connections through mentorship and guidance. Over time, they become part of the group."
Lynette understood what he meant. Assigning Clorinde the task wasn't out of revenge; it was partly to announce her presence to the officials in the Ministry, and partly to help her learn the ropes of being a personal secretary through a familiar line of work. That way, she could more easily integrate into the system.
After all, though both were under the jurisdiction of the Palais Mermonia, the Ministry's operations differed greatly from the Court. The intricacies couldn't just be explained; they had to be experienced firsthand.
So clearly, Richard's actions weren't purely out of revenge against Clorinde, at least, not entirely.
Lynette had good reason to suspect Richard had been eyeing the strongest Champion Duelist for a while now.
This was all premeditated.
"You telling me this means nothing. You need to explain it to Clorinde," Lynette reminded him.
"Oh, I already did. I'm just explaining it again for your sake, since you seemed out of the loop."
pok
"Ow ow ow…"
Richard rubbed his side. It didn't actually hurt, but he had to put on a show.
It was a small, unspoken bond between him and the cat; after all, the only men who could stir Lynette's emotions were him, her brother Lyney, and her younger brother Freminet.
And besides, Lynette's choosing to leave the House of the Hearth to become his secretary spoke volumes on its own.
After the teasing, Lynette resumed her work duties responsibly.
"The Inazuma delegation is scheduled to leave Fontaine tomorrow. The Fontaine Research Institute will send a professional advisory team to accompany them..."
"Understood. Arrange a proper farewell ceremony, and we need to show the right attitude. After all, Inazuma is a massive market, and due to the Sakoku Decree, Fontaine and Inazuma are the only players involved in carving it up."
This was political capital, and political capital was the fuel that propelled a politician's ascent. No one ever complains about having too much of it.
Richard was already near the peak of what a civil servant could achieve. The only roles above him were Secretary General of the Palais Mermonia or taking over from Furina as Minister of Administration.
Both were viable paths. But in terms of potential, the former was more appealing.
After all, Fontaine was the Nation of Justice, and the Palais Mermonia was its purest embodiment.
The actual power held by the Secretary General of the Palais Mermonia far exceeded that of the Minister of Administration, who was more like a logistics coordinator.
But right now, that top role was out of Richard's reach, because the one currently holding it wasn't even human, but Melusine.
Melusines had long lifespans; in fact, there had never been a known case of one dying from old age.
Even though Richard was half-elf and also long-lived, he might not outlast her.
And to make matters worse, the current Chief Justice, Neuvillette, was rumored to be a Melusine as well…
Richard had met the man himself and didn't believe the rumor, but it was undeniable that Neuvillette had deep ties with the Melusine.
Most of the Special Patrol Unit under the Court, a direct arm of the Palais, was also composed of Melusines. Their hold was unshakable.
So if Richard wanted to rise any further, the only path left seemed to be becoming the Minister of Administration.
That had been his goal until he met Furina.
Now, things had changed.
If Furina, the Hydro Archon, were to also take the role of Chief Justice someday, wouldn't that be quite fitting?
And for someone like Richard, a brilliant advisor and kingmaker, becoming the second-in-command of Fontaine would be the natural step.
Right now, you might not be able to imagine Furina as Chief Justice.
It's true that Furina has many flaws; she's timid, avoids conflict, craves glory... but no one is born strong. Growth takes time.
Some may ask: hasn't 500 years been long enough for her to mature?
Wrong. Without a proper mentor, self-guided growth is prone to detours. But Richard was confident he could shape her into a qualified ruler, and when that day came, he would be the man behind the throne, pulling the strings of Fontaine itself.
And based on his observations, Furina might not be as simple as she appeared.
Not because she was scheming, but because she seemed to be hiding something.
Possibly related to the fact that, despite being the Hydro Archon, she lacked a Gnosis.
Richard had noticed this long ago. After all, he used to work in Snezhnaya and had ways to detect a Gnosis. It wasn't surprising he'd notice.
To him, Furina felt more like a pawn, a stand-in forced to the forefront, or a "decoy." A role Richard himself was quite familiar with.
Still, he wouldn't push too hard, too soon. There was time to observe. No need to rush.
Clearing his thoughts, Richard resumed listening to Lynette's report.
"The Grand Shrine Priestess, Yae Miko, has requested a private audience with you before her departure. Should I approve it?" Lynette reported with a blank face.
She looked indifferent, but her twitching tail betrayed her; the catgirl was clearly agitated.
She sensed a threat.
Last time, Yae Miko had a private meeting at Richard's residence, which already raised alarms for Lynette. Now the priestess wasn't even hiding her intent, directly requesting a one-on-one.
Who would believe there's nothing going on between those two?
Still, just like last time, Lynette wouldn't act. After all, Yae Miko was about to leave, and technically, she wasn't from Fontaine.
But she was Richard's chief personal secretary!
Heh, you know how powerful the word "secretary" is to a man?
Especially when the secretary is a catgirl.
Even if you're a foxgirl and have known Richard a bit longer, I'm the one who's with him every day. The one with the advantage.
The future is long, there's no need to rush.