The coffee tastes good, but Sif isn't in the mood to savor it; her mind is a bit unsettled right now.

People often speak their true thoughts unintentionally.

Roland appeared to be talking about recruiting Mr. Tony, but he had also mentioned that words shouldn't be taken at face value, and that one must carefully discern the underlying meaning.

Sif's conjecture wasn't baseless; Roland often posed related test questions.

Is this his way of probing?

The hand gripping the coffee cup tightened more and more, and with a slight crack, the beautiful white porcelain cup developed a clearly visible fracture.

Roland squinted his eyes, noticing Sif's distracted state.

The Transcendent's muscle control ability far exceeds that of ordinary people, so accidentally crushing a cup is almost impossible for a Transcendent.

Unless it's intentional, or one is distracted.

Sif's distraction seemed normal; after all, the events of last night were too thrilling. Even if she wasn't directly involved, she surely was concerned about him...

Right?

Roland relaxed his brow, giving up on futile speculation.

Never try to fathom the thoughts of young girls. Philosophers explore the origins of the universe and the meaning of life, but they never waste time on this.

He's not a philosopher, nor would he waste time here.

Roland snapped his fingers, summoning the waiter.

"Sorry, this cup..."

Before Roland could finish, the waiter quickly apologized to him, "Distinguished guest, please wait. I'll immediately bring you a new coffee; we apologize for any inconvenience to you and the lady."

Lady?

Roland paused, noticing Sif's rapidly reddening cheeks, and lightly coughed to signal the waiter to stop spouting nonsense.

After all, Sif is young, she's not yet... Wait, by the laws of this era, she's already of marriageable age.

After all, this is a romantic era where the legal marriage age is two years earlier than the coming-of-age ceremony.

The service attitude here is quite good, but it's a pity the waiter's discernment isn't sharp enough to recognize that Sif is an unmarried young maiden.

Just as Roland was unsure what to say, Sif's heart almost leaped out of her throat.

Lady, he said lady?!

Can even strangers tell that she and Roland make a pair?

The chaotic emotions were instantly replaced by joyful delight and shyness.

The second cup of coffee arrived swiftly, the milk and cane sugar transforming its taste from bitter to bittersweet.

Sif pinched her fingertips, gracefully lifting the coffee cup and sipping it gently.

Sunlight streamed through the windowpane, scattering like golden specks over her hair, dyeing it in dazzling brilliance.

Roland stared, transfixed.

At this moment, Sif is the epitome of a perfect goddess.

He somewhat wished time could forever freeze in this moment, so he could quietly sit here and admire this ultimate beauty.

But alas, time waits for no one.

With the clock pointing to eleven, the Val City State government would announce its dissolution in an hour, and they must head to the city hall to meet with Mr. Tony before the city's dissolution.

Snapping his fingers once more, the waiter appeared with a polite smile.

A few silver coins lay quietly on the table, alongside two empty cups.

Two of these silver coins were his tip.

Before leaving, Roland casually asked, "Waiter, what do you think of Mr. Tony?"

If it were in the past, the waiter might have hesitated to speak frankly, but with the Val City State about to dissolve, Tony no longer wielded power as an official and felt free to express openly.

After a few seconds of contemplation, the waiter softly said, "He is a brilliant official, but unfortunately born in Val City State, without a stage to showcase his talents. If he were managing internal affairs for the Emperor of a major nation, perhaps he'd be able to exhibit his talents."

Roland was somewhat surprised; he didn't expect the waiter to have such high praise for Tony.

"How so?"

The waiter calmly responded, "Sir, I don't understand politics, but I do know that during his five-year term, my income doubled, and my boss's income more than quintupled."

Perhaps thinking about the imminent loss of the state, he politely bowed to Roland, hastily concluding the conversation.

This reason was sufficient.

As an administrative officer, achieving a doubling of citizens' income within just five years is the greatest political accomplishment.

Roland quietly adjusted Tony's evaluation to Level S.

The officials of the Three Overseas Provinces, though capable, were nurtured by the Empire's bureaucratic system, lacking in constructiveness.

They are suitable for holding cabinet-level positions within the Governor's Territory but need more experience to become members of the Empire's Cabinet.

Opportunities for advancement had arisen, but not everyone could keep pace; some were bound to fall behind.

When some fall behind, others must step up, and Tony is the excellent substitute Roland selected.

Glancing at the introspective Sif, Roland's lips curled into a satisfied smile.

Looks like Sif is considering Mr. Tony's future too.

Roland didn't know Sif was still savoring the joy brought by the term "lady."

Her mind, filled with the crimson rose, recalled another matter: Roland promised her not to rush into marriage.

Since Roland isn't in a hurry, she can wait.

After all, that woman is still watching her from the distant Saint Rurik Palace.

She needs to survive first.

If she were to unfortunately die in battle, then there'd be no need to compete; Roland would surely belong to Lisa.

She absolutely must not die!

All distractions were instantly dispelled, as Sif stood up with flair, tossing aside the slight worries brought by Lisa's transformation last night.

Now it's work time.

"Let's go, time to get busy."

Roland was slightly surprised; Sif's expressions earlier were rich enough to seem like she was performing in a blockbuster.

Sif may be young, but she's a seasoned actress.

Displaying such genuine emotion means she truly has something on her mind.

Roland and Sif left the coffee shop, heading towards the city hall.

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