The Crown's Seduction
Chapter 297: Minister Laura (1)

Chapter 297: Minister Laura (1)

With the party still in full swing, Laura, along with Krisha and Zaila, decided to simply stay behind as she watched their married friends get whisked away by their husbands. Laura, on her part, didn’t really mind being single as opposed to Zaila’s constant whining about being as such. In fact, she enjoyed the autonomy she had, not being tied to a single place or having to surrender herself to someone that she didn’t really like. It just wasn’t her style. Or at least, not yet.

"So, now that you’re a minister, what else is next for you?" Krisha casually asked as they all sipped on their respective drinks. "You can’t go much higher than that unless you somehow plan to be queen somehow."

"Hey, don’t tempt me," Laura chuckled as she nursed her own drink. "I might just go for it if I see the opportunity."

It was just her nature, she supposed. She wanted to go higher, as high as she could possibly go until her proverbial wings burned once she got too close to the sun. She could see herself trying to secure the position of Queen, unless it went against her Milady’s orders or wishes, of course.

"Look at her, she’s already scheming," Zaila scoffed at Krisha. "You know well enough that Laura doesn’t back down from a challenge like that."

"It’s an honest question, and I do think that she won’t go that far," Krisha shrugged before her tone took on a more teasing tone. "Besides, at least she has an ambition that’s beyond just getting married unlike you."

"It’s an honest dream," Zaila defended herself despite the light blush forming on her face. "It’s not like I want to just spread my legs the moment I see someone that I fancy. It takes time."

"Time that you clearly always whine about not having enough of," Laura suddenly chimed in with a smirk. "And no, I don’t plan on becoming queen anytime soon. At least, not here where our Queen already reigns."

It just wouldn’t be economical. Besides, she just became a Minister. She would’ve at least liked a year or two of enjoying her new position before trying to shoot for the next highest role she could get her hands on. Although...

"See? You underestimate our friend here," Zaila defended herself yet again to Krisha. "She’s already drawing up a path to become queen. If not here, then maybe some other place that might need our attention."

"And what? You think she’d just try to launch a rebellion somewhere and install herself as that random kingdom’s new queen?" Krisha jokingly asked. "It might work, but that’s too much work even for us."

"I just might if it’s needed of me, you know," Laura remarked with a raised brow, her tone taking on a menacing tune despite her obvious joking. "If Her Majesty needs me to run an insurgency in an enemy kingdom, then who am I to say no?"

"And it would just so happen that you’ll make yourself queen by the time it’s all over?" Zaila laughed. "You’re way too predictable with that. There are limits to ambition, you know."

"Well, so long as I haven’t reached those limits, then I’ll try however much I want to go higher," Laura shrugged, taking another sip of her drink as she replied. "It’s far from being a noble goal, but I’ll at least try to do good along the way. And once I stop, only then will I look for a man or something."

It was the least she could do, after all. Once she hit the inevitable wall on her ambition, only then would she turn around and try to settle down. Only then would she allow herself to slow down and maybe find some happiness in being content with her life?

"Hey now. What’s with all the talk about overthrowing kingdoms in their spare time?"

Laura was taken out of her musings as she looked to the side of their shared table. Blinking, she raised a brow as the owner of the familiar tone that suddenly barged into their conversation made himself known.

"Lord Fritz," she greeted with a curt nod. "What brings you here?"

"Why, I came to congratulate you," Lord Fritz casually replied as he then pulled out a box from behind him. "I even came prepared with a congratulatory gift for you."

Laura narrowed her eyes even as she accepted the gift. Already, she could hear Krisha and Zaila’s giggles from the sidelines. She could only assume that she would be on the receiving end of a few rounds of teasing as soon as they were alone again.

"Thank you," she gratefully nodded as she placed the box on the table. "I didn’t think you’d go so far like this. In fact, I might even think that this is a bribe for some reason."

The newly-arrived lord smirked before covering his mouth with his ever-present fan. "Is it that suspicious that I came here to simply give you a gift?" he scoffed. "It’s only fair that I give my former partner in crime a housewarming gift for her new office."

"Partner in crime, eh," Laura scoffed. "I suppose I’ll take your word for it."

"Were we not exactly that back when we did our joint investigation?" he pointed out with a faint smile as he leaned on their table. "It’s only fair to call us that especially after I pulled you out of your own mess that one time."

"And for the last time, I had it under control," she groaned as she rolled her eyes. "Anyway, don’t you have better things to do other than to look cute behind that fan of yours?"

"Well, I suppose I did hear you call me cute, so I’ll take that as a concession," he chuckled before he promptly turned around and left the table. "I’ll be looking forward to working with you in the future, Minister Laura, the fairest of all the ministers so far."

Laura scoffed at Fritz’s general direction even as she fought the slightest blush from forming on her cheeks. What was up with that man and making her feel flustered for some reason?