I! Cleaner!-Chapter 771 - 705: Acquaintances... But Not That Familiar

"What did you say?"

After listening to her brother's words, the female cleaner who was scooping stew from a barrel with a spoon couldn't help but open her mouth wide in surprise.

"You want me to be an envoy and represent you at the wedding?"

"Yes, you heard it right."

With a confident nod, the current King of the Northern Kingdom raised the long-handled wooden spoon in his hand, pointed it at his sister in the air, and with a face full of disdain reminded her while chewing on stew:

"Melly, quickly straighten your napkin, didn't you see the soup is about to stain your clothes? You're a grown woman and still so sloppy, what kind of impression does that give others!"

"You dare criticize me?"

Hearing her brother's scolding, the female cleaner became slightly annoyed and threw the wooden spoon back into the barrel, placing one hand on her waist, pointing at him angrily:

"Your napkin might be straight, but all the soup is hanging off your beard. Hurry up and shave off that scraggly beard of yours! It's absolutely disgusting!"

"Hmph, child."

Taking another napkin from beside him to wipe his beard, and picking off a pair of shrimp stuck to it, the burly blue-haired man snorted coldly:

"What's a man without a beard? This beard is the symbol of a king!"

"Pah! Bearded King! Sloppy King! Filthy King!"

After a face full of disdain, exchanging a few words back and forth across the long table filled with various foods, the female cleaner finished the stew in the barrel, and then complained:

"There's an urgent mission at the bureau, I've been busy lately. Do I really have to go to that wedding you mentioned?"

"It's not that I want you to go, but as a princess, you must go!"

Hearing this, the blue-haired young man raised his head, wiped the red sauce from the corner of his mouth, and emphasized seriously:

"Melly, although we seem to be maintaining peace right now, we fought them six years ago, and there have been many minor conflicts over the years; they are a real enemy country!

Now they've inherited Crolock Kingdom's assets, not just quality population but also a lot of advanced technology. Once they've digested these things, and their domestic conflicts are eased, leaving them free, a war between us is inevitable!

So we must find a way to intervene early, snatching a piece of cake from them, or at the very least, unite with several other kingdoms to force them to share some critical technology. To achieve this, an envoy representing the royal family's direct will is essential!"

"Oh..."

Looking at her brother's tense face, knowing there's no room for negotiation, the female cleaner pursed her lips but couldn't help muttering:

"Why are you always thinking about war... War will lead to many deaths, can't we avoid it?"

"We can't."

The blue-haired young man frowned, swallowed the pizza in his mouth, and lectured seriously:

"War leads to many deaths, but avoiding war could lead to even more deaths; some wars must be fought!

Like six years ago, the other side probably had domestic troubles, they might not have really planned to cut off trade routes and shipping lanes, it could've been handled with less intensity, but father still went to war despite his illness and almost died on the battlefield. Do you remember why?"

"I remember... Father mentioned a few times, something about the Deer Pass and Frozen Harbor?"

"It's the checkpoints on the route guaranteeing part of the kingdom's grain and vegetable supplies, and the unfrozen port for transporting coal and fuel in winter!

Though they've always seemed mild, in fact, they've been holding us by the throat. Previously we relied on them for almost forty percent of our needs, getting fleeced every year! If we don't take advantage of their internal strife to seize these places, we'll forever be under their control!"

Turning the dining knife in his hand, tapping the table twice with the silver handle, the blue-haired young man scolded discontentedly:

"Melly! You, as a princess with inheritance rights, should strive to understand these things even if you find them boring!

Don't forget, your nephews, the eldest of whom is only three years old this year, if I die before they come of age, you'll have to take my place! Even if someone guides you, you'll at least need to handle some affairs yourself!" 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

"Ah! So annoying, so annoying!"

Annoyed at having to be lectured during a meal, the female cleaner angrily stabbed a huge piece of steak, tearing at it savagely as if biting into someone she detests, then puffed her cheeks as she glared:

"I absolutely don't want your position! Uncle has always said I am a born cleaner, shouldn't be like you, wasting unparalleled talent and my life in endless schemes with those nobles, I should be doing something more meaningful!"

"Hmph!"

At the mention of that uncle, the blue-haired young man's expression darkened, and he sneered:

"What talent? To me, the most meaningful thing is being a good King, leading the tribes that sustain and follow me, so as not to let a large number of people freeze or starve to death each year, rather than like joining the Clean-up Bureau's..."

At this point, the blue-haired young man paused slightly, glanced at the female cleaner who had stopped eating as well, a hint of regret in his eyes, then lowered his head to fork a piece of pizza, chewing and mumbling:

"Never mind, too lazy to tell you... Where's Uncle? Why didn't he come for dinner?"

"Uncle is busy with something."

After slightly pursing her lips, the female cleaner's mood seemed somewhat downcast, she diverted her gaze and somewhat absent-mindedly answered:

"There's news from the bureau, saying the Aquarius Branch is very dangerous, potentially causing severe disasters, requesting heightened vigilance and waiting for support. Uncle went to inspect the Underground Rehe."

Underground Rehe?

Upon hearing this, the blue-haired young man's knife and fork froze, then he looked up frowning:

"So the recent anomalies in Underground Rehe aren't natural or man-made causes, but the issue stems from 'your side'?"

"It's not clear yet, but the possibility is high."

The female cleaner uncertainly said:

"Uncle left in a hurry, didn't tell me the details, only requested Level 2 and above seniors to try staying within the Rehe City area, and wait for Leon to come and take command."

"Leon?"

"Cleaner sent from the main bureau to support us, his talent is even better than mine... Oh, right!"

Mentioning a fellow with astonishing talent, the female cleaner pursed her lips, suddenly remembering something, and proposed:

"I won't return with the main group; Leon is just from the Virgin Branch, if you insist on me being an envoy, I can come back with him after completing the mission."

Leon... Virgin Branch... Cleaner... Kingdom...

As he pondered this familiar name, the blue-haired young man's brows furrowed.

"That Leon... Is he the cleaner sent by the Clean-up Bureau to assist you and solve the Underground Rehe issue?"

"Yes!"

The female cleaner nodded her head while chewing steak:

"Don't worry, I've met Leon before, we're basically acquaintances, though he may be a bit cunning, he seems to be a pretty decent guy."

You've met? Acquaintances?

After listening to the female cleaner's words, the blue-haired young man's frown did not ease but grew deeper.

"Did he tell you he's about to get married?"

"Ah? He doesn't look much older than me, already getting married?"

"Yes."

The blue-haired young man nodded, somewhat speechless:

"Don't you know? The wedding I'm sending you to attend is his!"

"..."

(*ﾟДﾟ*)?!!!