Chapter 725 — Southward Bound
Blade of Dawn · Page 4 of 4
Gao Yang nodded within the holographic projection, then said, "Oh, that's right. Maggie is doing well here. Rebecca has become quite a good friend to her, so there is no need for you to worry."
"Thank you for looking after her," Victoria said. Her expression remained as cold and indifferent as ever, yet deep in her eyes there was genuine gratitude. "Maggie is my most trusted friend. I am very glad that she can be of help to you as well."
Gao Yang gave a murmur of acknowledgment, and then the atmosphere lapsed into a brief stiffness and awkwardness.
Whenever anyone conversed with Victoria alone, the atmosphere was inevitably apt to fall into such a state.
This Duke of Ice and Snow was truly not a person skilled with words; indeed, because her expression was always so cold, she tended to chill the air in any conversation. Once the business at hand was finished, nothing remained between the speakers but awkwardness.
She was accustomed to this, but Gao Yang, on the other side of the communication, seemed not quite to have adapted.
Perhaps in order to find some topic with which to bring the conversation to a smooth close, Gao Yang was silent for a moment and then suddenly said, "You are not so young anymore..."
Victoria's calm, placid expression stiffened for an instant. "Huh?"
"Even though you have Fendil and need not worry about the matter of an heir, have you never considered starting a family yourself?"
Victoria: "Your... Your Majesty?"
"You are only two years younger than Hedy. The two of you—in some ways you are far too alike. Not long ago I urged Hedy as well, saying that when it is time to start a family, one should start a family. Do not think me long-winded. I was, after all, a good friend of Snow's, and I ought to look after his descendants..."
"Your Majesty, this matter... this matter need not be discussed at this moment," Victoria said, revealing a trace of fluster, a rare sight indeed. "I will consider my own affairs. I will consider them!"
The arcane-net communication was cut off by Victoria on the other end, somewhat hurriedly. Gao Yang sat behind his desk, looking rather dazed.
Amber, standing nearby, could not help but roll her eyes. "You really are getting on in years. How does a conversation drift all the way to urging marriage?"
"Having a bit of small talk after finishing the business—what is wrong with that?" Gao Yang looked rather innocent. "And I only said it in passing."
Amber pursed her lips, seeming as though she wanted to mutter something more, but before she could speak, the office door was suddenly pushed open.
Hedy appeared in the doorway, clutching a great stack of documents, and walked toward Gao Yang.
At the sight of that great heap of papers in her arms, Gao Yang felt a dull ache begin to throb at his temples.
In the spirit of not suffering a headache alone, he looked up at Hedy and said casually, "Hedy, you are not so young anymore..."
Hedy froze. Before she could even get to the business about the documents, she felt a chill run down the back of her head...