The Crown's Seduction
Chapter 298: Minister Laura (2)

Chapter 298: Minister Laura (2)

"Do I have to be worried about you being whisked away too?" Zaila sighed as soon as they were alone again. "That man clearly has you in his sights."

"Well, we’ll see what happens," Krisha pointed out with a slight smile. "Who knows? They might just hook up somewhere down the line."

"As if," Laura scoffed. "I’ll probably be too old for anyone by the time I decide to settle down."

In fact, if he wanted her, then he better make sure that he’d be worth her while. Her career was always her main focus in her life, and he might as well try and move mountains if he decided that she would be his main target.

"Uhm... Is this a bad time?"

Yet again, Laura was taken out of her musings as another familiar tone entered their table’s vicinity. This time, she was pleasantly surprised as her fellow candidate Teresa came to see her.

"Lady Teresa, right?" Laura asked, making sure that she had the woman’s name right.

"That’s right," Teresa nodded. "I came here to congratulate you for being selected as the new Minister of Justice."

She then extended her hand out for a handshake, to which Laura simply blinked in surprise as she tried to process what was happening. "You’re... not upset?"

"I was too focused on the rules that I failed to take the situation into account earlier," Teresa warmly smiled as she replied. "So, no, I’m not upset. In fact, I’m looking forward to working with you."

This time, Laura stood up as she stared at the woman. "You want to work with me? I’m pretty sure you can find a higher role with your talents."

"It’s something I considered, but I decided against it," Teresa shrugged, her hand still outstretched for a handshake as she replied. "Unless the King himself wanted me elsewhere, then I’ll gladly work under you. Who knows? I might learn something new as well."

"I... Thank you," Laura trailed off, her gratitude almost taking her off guard as she finally moved to take Teresa’s handshake. "It’ll be nice to work with someone that I know will be competent."

"Likewise," Teresa smiled.

Laura chuckled as she shook her head. Perhaps she was just being too paranoid- Wait, her hand was still locked in with Teresa’s, the other woman’s grip tightening even as she radiantly smiled at her. It was then that she realized that she was being tested yet again, her gaze narrowing as she looked at the woman she had just beaten to get her new position.

"Uhm... Lady Teresa?"

"Just as a warning, however, I won’t tolerate failure from someone that bested me, Lady Laura," Teresa warned her tone somehow sending chills down her spine despite the warm smile she was being given by the same woman. "I’ll make sure to support you to the best of my ability, but the moment I see you knowingly being incompetent at your job, I won’t hesitate to report you."

"Don’t worry, I won’t disappoint you," Laura firmly declared. "I’ll do my best, and I’ll make sure to do my job to the best of my abilities."

A few seconds passed as they both stared into each other’s eyes, their gazes never wavering until Teresa’s grip finally relaxed as she let go of her. Laura shook her hand even as she smiled at the other woman, a light chuckle escaping her lips as the tension between them disappeared just as quickly as it appeared.

"Then we’ll get along just fine," Teresa beamed. "I hope you didn’t mind my... forcefulness."

"Trust me, I’ve been through worse," Laura hummed as she took her seat yet again. "I hope you’re enjoying the party though. It wouldn’t do for you to be miserable since you’re practically my equal in terms of exam scores."

"Don’t worry, I’m more than content with what I’ve achieved," Teresa waved her off in reassurance. "I didn’t expect much when I entered, but stopping just short of being Minister is good enough for me. Besides-"

"-You’re still next in line, right?" Laura pointed out with a smirk. "I know. Just don’t try to assassinate me or anything."

"Oh, I won’t do any of the sort, Lady Laura," Teresa quickly denied with a scoff. "I’m already fighting an uphill battle to put some respect back in my family name. It wouldn’t do for me to be exactly what people expect of me."

Laura narrowed her eyes at that. Teresa was from the Rossi Clan if she recalled. From the way she heard things, she would almost think that there was a rift in the clan that they could exploit somehow.

"Anyway, I’ve kept you from your friends for long enough," Teresa lightly bowed before turning around and leaving. "I’m looking forward to working with you, Minister Laura."

Laura let out a breath she didn’t know she was holding onto as she watched the woman leave. She really didn’t expect the one she beat to be that strong-willed. The fact that Teresa even went and admitted that she wanted to work with her spoke volumes of her character.

"....What just happened?" Zaila chimed in after all of the commotion was over. "That woman... That was the one you beat to become minister, right? Lady Teresa?"

"One and the same," Laura shrugged as she downed her entire glass of wine. "I didn’t think she’d even congratulate me, to be honest."

"I didn’t think so as well," Krisha hummed in agreement. "In fact, I was honestly preparing myself just in case she tried something."

"That was my thought too," Zaila added. "She’s from the Rossi Clan, and from what I heard, they’re on the King’s bad side right now after everything that had happened. I almost thought that Lady Teresa was going to cause a scene."

Laura chuckled. "Well, she didn’t, so you two don’t have anything to worry about," she stated. "Besides, I think she’s a good apple in a bunch full of rotten ones."

Or at least, she thought so. Either way, she’ll give Teresa a chance if they ever do end up working together. She just couldn’t help but feel like her fellow candidate deserved that much. After all, if she had lost, she too would be both mad and disappointed if the one they lost to did a worse job than she could ever do.