The doctor suffers from amnesia, but not complete amnesia.

Hearing this, Qiao Yelan gritted her teeth.

Damn it, these bastards.

"Help me stall for time, and I'll buy the entire Steam Knight production line, along with all the workers—it's one of my life's work, and I can't just sit idly by."

"We've already bought most of them."

The woman wagged her finger.

“Those are things you painstakingly built. How could I just stand by and watch them be destroyed? The machine tools and production lines have been sealed in an underground warehouse, and most of the skilled workers are in factories under my name, marked so that they can be pulled out at any time if a restart is needed.”

A slight smile appeared on Qiao Yelan's face.

"Thank you, Clovisia."

"Hmph, just thank you?"

"...I really can't do it today."

Qiao Yelan's words were earnest.

The unicorn licked its lips, tacitly agreeing with Qiao Yelan's words.

I did eat a lot today.

Chapter 119 Do you want to see how you raise your child?

"Why have you returned, Lord Qiao Yelan?"

The Vice Minister of the Court of State Ceremonial asked with a look of surprise.

Qiao Yelan: ?

Have you guys gone crazy from slacking off?

Is it possible that I am also a member of the Great Yan delegation?

"Ahem, that's not what I meant—I meant that it was already dark when you came back. We thought you weren't coming back tonight either."

Fortunately, Shaoqing realized how thoughtless his previous words were and quickly tried to make amends.

"...In short, the matter with the Speaker is settled. Next, we just need to submit our credentials as usual and wait for Victoria's reply."

"Understood, I will be ready at any time."

Shaoqing immediately took on the task.

"Do you have any other plans for the future?"

"I also need to visit some personal friends."

"Understood—will you be sleeping here at the embassy tonight?"

Qiao Yelan: ?

What's going on? Is there a access control system?

"Ahem, ahem, ahem—what I mean is, everyone's been traveling a lot lately and has been dealing with a lot of things, so we've all been going to bed early. What if no one greets you when you come back?"

Shaoqing wiped his forehead. He had really been sleeping too much lately, and his brain was a little sluggish.

"Is traveling tiring?"

"Yes."

"A lot of things to do?"

"Yes."

"Going to bed early?"

"Yes."

Qiao Yelan rubbed his chin, staring suspiciously at the sweating Vice Minister of the Court of State Ceremonial.

"...Then get some rest. I have my own guards, so you don't need to worry about me."

"Your Excellency is too kind. This is merely our duty."

Lord Shaoqing breathed a sigh of relief.

Don't worry about what I look like in public, just tell me if I was upright enough when facing my superiors.

"but--"

"What are your orders?"

"Tell the Imperial Guards not to let their guard down. The political situation in Victoria is volatile, and even in Lentinium, we cannot be too complacent."

"Understood, I'll go and pass it on right away."

After watching Shaoqing slip away quickly, Qiao Yelan sighed.

Why are the people around him becoming more and more like barbecued pork?

On the contrary, the students who left him became increasingly shrewd.

Could it be that I'm not suited to be a teacher?

The man thought about it carefully.

"No, I don't believe it, I have to try again."

He made up his mind.

"If I fail this time, I will never teach students again next time."

-------------------------------------------------- -

As Qiao Yelan was having breakfast, a guard came up to him.

"Lord Qiao Yelan, someone outside the embassy wants to visit you."

"Visiting me? Who is it?"

"It's a little girl."

Ok?

Qiao Yelan had just shown a hint of doubt when a glint flashed in Shaoqing's eyes. He put down the fried dough stick in his hand, subtly picked up the soy milk, covered half of his face, and glanced at the doorway out of the corner of his eye as he looked down.

Slacking off and gossiping are twins (I'm sure of it).

"Invite her in."

Then Qiao Yelan turned her kind gaze to her deputy beside her.

"I'm stuffed."

Shaoqing reluctantly put down his soy milk, and after wiping his mouth with a gesture even more fussy and affected than that of a Victorian noblewoman, he finally saw the little girl's face before leaving the dining hall.

His movements were a little stiff, but there was no fear on his face—like a child forced to grow up prematurely.

Could he really be an adult's illegitimate child?

However, Qiao Yelan never expected his subordinate to make such a wild guess—he had already figured out who the child in front of him was.

"your name."

“Alleide, Alleide Cumberland.”

"Have you had breakfast?"

No, not yet.

"Eat something. You're still growing. Skipping breakfast isn't a good habit. You need to make sure you get enough nutrition."

Qiao Yelan ladled a bowl of vegetable and meat porridge for the other person, picked up a few steamed buns, and placed them on the seat next to them.

But clearly, Miss Alder wasn't staying there, so she just swallowed hard, forced herself to turn around, and stated her task.

"I've come to..."

“In the Great Yan Dynasty, one does not speak during meals, Miss Alde.”

Qiao Yelan said leisurely.

The girl had no choice. She gripped the hem of her clothes tightly with one hand, sat down next to Qiao Yelan, and picked up a spoon to start drinking porridge.

Clearly, the warm porridge and meat buns effectively dispelled the biting winter chill of Lentinium and the stress of an unfamiliar environment for a child. Aleide was initially a little reserved, but by the time she ate her second bun, she was quite relaxed.

"Would you like some more of this, or would you like some porridge first?"

"Um...this."

"Yes, this is called a steamed bun."

"steamed stuffed bun?"

Qiao Yelan gestured to the waiter to get another steamer of buns, and then poured the girl a cup of soy milk.

Only after the girl had swallowed the last bun with satisfaction did Qiao Yelan pick up the handkerchief beside him and carefully wipe the grease off Alede's face and hands. The girl obediently let him help her, no longer feeling the fear and dread she had felt before.

With a wave of his hand, signaling the waiter to remove the leftover food from the table, Qiao Yelan turned around with a smile and looked solemnly into the eyes of the girl.

"So, little Allardy, what brings you here?"