Chapter 120: Balancing Joy and Governance (rewrite)

Returning to the palace from the examination room, Morgan's smile was unstoppable. Lott, standing beside her, could not contain his curiosity and asked, "What are you laughing about?"

Morgan's laughter was so infectious that Lott couldn't help but wonder if her recent stress had finally taken its toll. Lott mused silently about whether the weight of her responsibilities was getting to her, but he shrugged it off, deciding it was merely her reaction to their recent success.

Morgan, still grinning, replied, "Oh, I was just thinking about the bet we made. It seems like I'm the winner, and I was pondering what kind of reward I should get."

Lott, with a nonchalant shrug, said, "I don't have anything to give. I'm alone, and I don't need money or anything else."

Morgan's eyes widened in surprise. "You don't have anything to give? What can you offer?"

Lott pondered for a moment and then grinned cheekily. "Well, the only thing I can offer is myself. Come on, don't just pity me because I'm the most handsome man in Britain."

Morgan, unable to suppress her irritation, reached out and playfully knocked Lott's forehead.

Just then, Altria walked in with Little Gawain and witnessed the scene. The awkwardness was palpable as Altria, Gawain, and Morgan exchanged glances. With a look of mild horror, Altria quickly decided to ignore the situation. "I didn't see anything," she declared, before hurriedly leaving with Gawain in tow.

Little Gawain, innocently curious, pointed at Morgan and then at Lott. "So, you two like this kind of play? It sounds exciting!" she said with a mischievous giggle.

Both Lott and Morgan turned their attention to Gawain, a smile gradually forming on their faces. They approached her, blocking her path.

"Little Gawain," Lott began with a grin, "do you know how many wolves I could handle when I was younger?"

"How many?" Gawain asked, her voice trembling slightly.

"Seven wolves!" Lott declared with a flourish.

Gawain, now visibly alarmed, seemed to realize the gravity of her situation. Her laughter quickly turned to fear, as she looked up at her parents, realizing she had become the centre of their attention.

Altria, hearing the commotion from outside, felt a shiver run down her spine. The knight's sense of justice compelled her to help, but the reality of the situation left her feeling helpless. "My apprentice, it's not that I don't want to save you. It's just that I really can't," Altria muttered to herself.

Feeling a pang of guilt, Altria retreated to the Knights' cafeteria, where she saw they were serving braised pork that day. She ordered a large portion, justifying it as extra sustenance for Little Gawain who was tired from sword training.

As for Morgan, she found herself contemplating the administrative challenges ahead. The task of establishing an effective governance system was pressing. Though the manpower was sufficient, the problem of food scarcity was looming larger. Britain's grain production was on the decline, and relying solely on fishing was proving inadequate.

Morgan knew that despite the allocation of noble lands to farmers and other efforts, it was still not enough. She needed a comprehensive solution to secure adequate food supplies.

Her thoughts were interrupted as she noticed Lott casually strolling past her office window with a fishing rod. It seemed he had found his way to handle stress and contribute to their needs.

Morgan sighed, a mix of frustration and resignation evident on her face. She needed to figure out how to address the food crisis urgently. As she looked at Lott, she couldn't help but wonder if his casual approach to the problem would yield any useful results.

Morgan's determination to resolve the pressing issues of governance and food security remained strong. She was resolute in her mission to strengthen their realm and ensure its prosperity.