I! Cleaner!

During the day you're protecting my dad, my mom, and my sister, and at night when you're sleepy, you come to protect me?

Sounds like no big deal, but if you're so sleepy that you fall asleep, then who's really protecting whom here?

After hearing Leon's words, Prince Freckles was stunned for a full ten seconds before he barely managed to straighten out the logic and couldn't help but shout angrily:

"Damn bastard! I'm going to the Clean-up Bureau to complain about you!"

"Mmhmm."

Having spent the entire day running around with the princess, Leon was too exhausted to bother with him. He closed his eyes drowsily and responded quite perfunctorily:

"Go ahead, complain, but the main office over there is quite busy lately, so it might take a while to process it, or they might just send the complaint back for our branch to handle on our own.

Conveniently, our director is also busy lately, so I'll probably still be the one to solve your problem. If you can accept that, then feel free to complain; I'll take it all."

"..."

If I complain about you, and my complaint ends up being handled by you? Then what's the point of complaining at all!

Angered to the point of turning pale by Leon's response, Prince Freckles instinctively wanted to make a move, but realized that the bastard in front of him was unlike anyone he'd dealt with in the past; provoke him too much, and he was truly bold enough to slap him hard.

"This isn't fair!"

Recalling those few instances of getting beaten up in the past, Joshua barely suppressed his internal anger, stomped his feet twice furiously, and said:

"I'm the prince! Why is it that you protect Veronica when you're awake and only come to protect me when you're too tired to stand? What if there's danger at night? What if something happens to me?"

Hmm? Suddenly trying to be reasonable?

Leon opened his eyes in surprise, looked at the "reasoning" Prince Freckles before him, and pondered for a moment before speaking with a somewhat peculiar expression:

"Sure, if you want to switch, that's fine, but I'm offering personal protection.

Aren't you and your uncle, the Treasury Minister, trying actively to contact the Old Nobility and having repeated dealings with the Lower House, trying to get them to cooperate with you in overthrowing the princess? Aren't you worried I'll spill the beans if I follow you during the day?"

"..."

Thinking about it like that, it doesn't seem quite right... Wait a minute!

"How do you know who I'm dealing with?"

"Saw it on your sister's desk... Besides, you didn't seriously consider this a secret, did you?"

Looking at the astonished Prince Freckles before him, Leon sneered and said:

"The Old Nobility were never on the same page, and the Lower House is a place where rumors fly like a sieve; it's impossible to keep anything secret there. Your attempts to court their support were already in the papers last Wednesday!"

"..."

...

To be honest, you're really green...

Leon couldn't help but shake his head slightly at the speechless Joshua in front of him, whom he had just ridiculed.

Although aligning with the Old Nobility and currying favor with the Lower House is a transparent plot, as long as the princess tries to cut into the profits of the Old Nobility and the big merchants, there's nothing to stop you from aligning, and it's not afraid of being known.

But something that was supposed to be kept as low-key as possible, you guys manage to make it a big buzz; it's truly astounding, and even when making house calls, you don't even bother to change to a different carriage. Who can't see through that?

With your level of skill, you would need a miracle to defeat the princess!

"Any other questions?"

Too tired to deal with Joshua, whose face was alternating between blue and red, Leon, having worked as a personal guard for the whole day and almost being kept by the princess to "stay overnight," yawned widely again.

"If not, let's sleep; your sister is getting up around five tomorrow to compete with the Treasury Minister over the new tax secretary candidate, and I plan to take a look..."

"Wait!"

Seeing Leon pulling up the thin blanket, seemingly ready to end the conversation, Prince Freckles couldn't help but stomp his foot again, angrily stopping him:

"Get out of here! I don't need your protection! What gives you the right to sleep here? Get up! Go to the servant's room outside! Or else I'll..."

"Have I been too polite to you?"

Seeing that after all this explanation, Joshua still wanted to pick a fight, Leon, who was feeling the pressure of work lately, sat up and rolled up his right sleeve, squinting as he said:

"I'll give you two options: the first one, you go back to sleep now and sleep until tomorrow morning; the second one, I put some effort into beating you up, and you'll remain unconscious until tomorrow morning... pick your choice!"

Here we go again!

Realizing that Leon seemed ready to use force, Prince Freckles quickly stepped back half a step, then stiffened his neck to argue:

"You're... you're violent! You're barbaric! Resorting to force is the worst choice! The true ruler should..."

"The true ruler is the one with the bigger fist."

Raising his right hand clenched into a palm, which frightened Joshua into retreating another half a step, Leon lay back down,

"Moreover, the effective choice is the right choice, so why care if you think I'm barbaric? Just hurry up and go to sleep!"

"..."

Just you wait!

Prince Freckles stood in front of the couch panting, and considering the vast difference in strength between the two, in the end, he didn't dare to lay a hand on him.

And when Leon had already closed his eyes, his breathing gradually lengthening as he was about to fall asleep, Prince Freckles could only snort angrily, then stomp heavily on the carpet, walking step by step back to his bed.

Let you sleep! I'll shake you awake!

Besides! You can only be so arrogant for a few more days!

Once I overthrow Veronica and replace my father as the new King, I'm definitely going to put up a sign at the palace gates that says "Leon and dogs are not allowed" and then issue a decree that anyone who assaults the King without just cause will be hanged!

In a fit of frustration over failing to kick someone out, Joshua leaped onto his bed with a thud, then started shaking the covers vigorously, creating a series of rustling noises.

After fussing for a while and hearing the sound of Leon tossing and turning in dissatisfaction from the other side, ensuring that he managed to get back at him, Joshua, compelled by drowsiness, finally drifted into sleep with a touch of satisfaction.

...

"That's about enough."

Shortly after Prince Freckles closed his eyes, a somewhat aged voice rang out from a bell tower located roughly three streets west of the palace.

Looking at the capital city shrouded in tranquil darkness, the old Investigator sitting meditatively on the roof of the tower spoke serenely:

"Apart from the Scarlet Hair Lady and that Leon, everyone from the Virgo branch has left the capital, and those two have also fallen asleep... Nicole, it's time for you to act."

"Alright..."

With a slightly hesitant reply, a gentle light shone behind the old Investigator. The female reporter who had disappeared after stealing a wallet emerged, holding a small lantern that emitted a warm glow.

After casting a hesitant glance at the old Investigator, the female reporter tightened her lips and gently shook the lantern in her hand.

Immediately, the capital, largely hidden in darkness, flickered slightly with the lantern's flame, then blazed with light as a radiant sun replaced the moon, suspended high in the sky at its center.