I responded, "Duke Ephra, your proposals are commendable, but we must not neglect the present; it is imperative we consider both the immediate and the future. Do you not agree?"
Your Majesty, if I may have a moment," Sir Léon began, his tone respectful yet confident, "regarding our current situation, it seems that our best course of action is to utilize our available funds solely for procuring food, which we can then distribute among our impoverished populace."
He paused thoughtfully before continuing, "While this is a practical idea, I believe that our country's second guiding principle should be to foster a sense of community among our people. By leading them to share what they have, we can build unity and resilience. The remaining responsibilities, including managing resources and ensuring fairness, should be left to the initiative of the people themselves." He looked me in the eye and added, "As for the future, we can only consider implementing your ideas once we have observed the progress and stability of this food-sharing effort." I was deeply intrigued by Sir Léon's courage and conviction, and I found myself eager to learn more of his thoughts and visions for our nation.
Before the meeting concluded, I kindly invited him to join me for a cup of tea, eager to continue our discussion. During our private moment, I expressed my admiration for his inspiring words,
"Sir Léon, I must say you truly inspired me with your words," I said, holding my teacup in my hands. "Thank you for your praise, Your Majesty," he replied.
Sir Léon sat quietly in his chair, seemingly deep in thought, which I found a little strange, so I gently put my teacup down. At that moment, the maid entered and served some desserts, announcing, "Your Majesty, Crown Prince Karl and Crown Princess Esther are here to greet you."
"I see. Thank you, Johanna," I replied. Standing up, I said, "Sir Léon, please come along. I am appointing you as Bras Droit." He responded in a short but firm voice, "I am grateful, Your Majesty, but I don't feel worthy of it." I shook my head and said, "You are. You told me yourself—trust in yourself. Come on then." "Thank you, Your Majesty," he replied.
We both descended the stairs, waiting for my parents to come down so we could all go together to greet our guests.