in the name of the queen

Chapter 4 More money is needed!
  "Sir, please wait a moment."

A timid voice sounded from behind.

It's sweet and soft, even a little trembling.

Just hearing her voice is the kind of soft girl who can make several people cry with one punch.

Roland stood at attention and turned around.

The swift movement even startled the girl.

Very good, the judgment is completely correct.

Although the girl's tall and straight figure was somewhat inconsistent with the expected image, the cowardice in her expression was completely in line with his guess.

The corners of his mouth raised slightly, and Roland smiled with satisfaction.

The girl had a delicate face and seemed a little afraid of society. She took a few deep breaths and then said softly:

"Sir, I excuse you to excuse me. I am Alina, an international student at the Imperial Academy of Fine Arts. My final assignment is to paint a portrait of a melancholic noble. Can you help me?"

The soft and beautiful girl begged in an almost pleading tone, and no true gentleman would be willing to cruelly refuse.

But Roland can.

After all, he is not a gentleman.

Even if it is, how can he waste time now? If nothing else happens, he really only has three days left to see the light.

Although he couldn't bear to let the girl down, he still shook his head firmly.

"Sorry, I'm not a noble, and my time is very valuable."

"I know that real nobles will not allow foreign civilians to have their portraits painted. But your temperament is very noble and you can serve as a model. By the way, I will pay, the price is five times that of ordinary models!" the girl cheered! Courage increases the offer.

Five times? Oops, you should have told me earlier.

If the breath of death was not approaching, Roland would have accepted it without hesitation, but considering that time was running out, he could only reluctantly refuse.

"Not now. The portrait takes time, and I'm very short of time these days. Give me your detailed address, and I'll provide door-to-door service on weekends, how about that?"

The essay winner will be announced today on Tuesday and Thursday.

If he survives until Sunday, he still has to find a way to earn a living.

Life is never just about the things in front of you, there are more complications in the distance.

She gave too much, and it would be rude to refuse any more.

The girl quickly took out the charcoal pen she carried with her, touched her pocket, took out a handkerchief, wrote down a string of addresses and stuffed it into Roland's hand.

"I don't want others to know."

Roland raised his eyebrows and smelled the extra money, "Secret commission?"

"Double the reward!" The girl understood Roland's eyes.

"You are such a generous employer, as you wish."

Roland stuffed the handkerchief into his pocket, turned and left.

Watching his leaving figure, the girl's eyes, which were still timid just now, gradually became clearer.

She took her glasses out of her pocket and put them on, squinting at Roland's back and raising the corners of her mouth slightly.

Originally, she was only attracted by Roland's slightly melancholy temperament, but a woman's sixth sense told her that Roland was different.

After secretly observing with astrology, I found that his destiny was elusive and impossible to observe.

To the astrologer, every unobservable person is a quality resource.

Unraveling the fate of the unobservable might help her become an observer or even a star warlock.

Not to mention five times the remuneration, she doesn't care even if the payment is ten times more.

I only offered five times because I was afraid that the price would be too exaggerated and scare Roland away.

Normal people will be wary of sudden windfalls.

Roland didn't take the part-time weekend modeling assignment seriously.

His main mission now is to stay alive.

Instead of rushing back to the post office, he headed to the Great Library.

Here is the richest collection of books in the world, many of which are spoils of imperial expansion.

Citizens of the empire can apply for a library card and browse various books.

This is a benefit that the empire provides to all its citizens.

It is a pity that in an era when compulsory education was not yet universal, reading was a privilege of the elite, and the huge libraries were deserted.

Roland went straight to the third floor of the library, found legal provisions such as the "Imperial Power Law" and the "Imperial Criminal Code", and found a corner to sit down.

Sussex has its own national conditions and the monarch's power is not absolute.

The constitution stipulates that state power is shared between the emperor, the nobility, and the citizens of the empire. This imperial power law not only confirms the imperial power, but also limits the imperial power.

If you want to take advantage of the legal loopholes, bah, use legal weapons to protect yourself, and you must be familiar with the legal provisions.

Roland was eager to find clauses that would limit the emperor's abuse of penal power, but he was quickly disappointed.

Although the Imperial Power Law places many restrictions on the emperor's power and makes the emperor vaguely a mascot, this law still has a lot of room for maneuver.

In the last line of the emperor's power, not surprisingly, he found the all-encompassing pocket.

Additional clauses: The honor and dignity of the monarch are inviolable. If the monarch himself deems it offensive, he can freely rule on it. The award shall, where appropriate, respect other legal provisions
  The special clauses are very long and stipulate many situations. Translated into human language, they are:
  If the emperor thinks you deserve to die, then you will definitely die.

Roland closed the law and complained softly: "Fuck the tyranny! It's so inhumane."

"Sir, do you also believe that freedom and humanity cannot be restrained? I invite you to join the Free Utopia Society."

Just when Roland was about to return the book, a deep voice sounded from a dark corner.

When the low voice was about to take the opportunity to say a few more words of confusion, Roland had already disappeared from the doorway like lightning.

Don't suffer the old man!

Although he hates autocratic rule in his heart, Roland is not an idiot.

Productivity determines production relations, and changing the social structure is not just a matter of a middle-school boy shouting a few slogans. In an era when productivity is low and the means of production are basically in the hands of monarchs and lords, we are still far away from the evil capitalism. How can we talk about utopia?

He didn't want to be seen as a cross hanging in the Plaza de Solemnity.

Unexpectedly, Roland disappeared without even giving him a chance to meet. The bearded man who walked out from behind the bookshelf gradually became deeper and thoughtful.

As soon as he rushed out of the library, Roland was blocked by a newsboy.

"Sir, would you like a copy of the Sussex Sun special edition?"

What's the toilet report? I'm not available.

Roland was about to leave when he suddenly thought of the Sun's accurate current affairs news that day and stopped and took out two coins.

"If the content is wild enough, get a copy."

The newsboy looked at Roland with a smile, shook his head, and whispered: "Sir, this special issue is about the interesting secrets of His Highness Sylph, so the price is a bit more expensive."

"How many?"

"A shilling."

It's six times the price, why don't you grab it?
  Without hesitation, Roland took out a shilling silver coin and gave it to the newsboy, grabbed the newspaper, and hurried away, reading as he walked.

When he was about to return to the post office, Roland crumpled the newspaper into a ball and stuffed it into the trash can.

It is indeed a toilet newspaper, it is really yours.

In the eight-page special report, there was not even a high-definition and uncensored portrait of Her Royal Highness, only two pictures covered with gauze.

But toilet newspapers are not entirely useless.

The newspaper published that Her Royal Highness loves cats, and during the tsunami three years ago, she sold her jewelry and generously donated 107 pounds of gold coins.

This was not a small amount of money. At the price at that time, it could buy a single-family house with a yard on Belfa Street.

The newspaper also mentioned the princess's teacher, the current Minister of the Interior Wald.

This is an old official who is fair and cautious.

After reading this information, Roland felt a little relieved.

The image of a girl who loved cats, was kind-hearted, and was taught by a strict teacher gradually took shape in his mind.

Such a cute little princess probably wouldn't mind a joke about her getting pregnant out of wedlock in a certain novel.
  Only those who don’t mind are ghosts!

The more pure and flawless a princess is, the more she values ​​reputation.

Her kindness would probably only make Roland's death less painful.

Damn the toilet paper, twelvepence gone.

Roland, who barely kept a calm expression and was filled with exhaustion, was about to go upstairs to clock out, but he met Lisa who was hurriedly coming downstairs.

Before he could say hello, Lisa grabbed his sleeve.

"Don't leave yet! Tell me, when did you meet such a cute girl? You didn't even tell your sister."

"What a cute girl, even my sister can't talk nonsense."

Lisa didn't give Roland a chance to quibble at all. She pushed him into the reception room, stuck her head out from behind him, smiled at the girl who was drinking tea, mouthed a silent greeting and then disappeared.

She is indeed a lovely girl.

It would be better if her intelligence capabilities were as weak as Sussex MI.

Roland sat down opposite him expressionlessly, his voice somewhat indifferent, "Miss Alina, the time we agreed on was on the weekend, not now."

(End of this chapter)