Elara placed her quill down. She laced her fingers together, resting her hands on the polished oak, and looked at the hyperventilating minister."So," Elara asked smoothly. "What exactly is the problem here?"
Demerti looked at her, his eyes wide with absolute disbelief. "Your Highness, do you not think 'any' of this is a problem? He is draining the vaults! He is buying businesses on a whim!"
"First," Elara stated calmly, her voice devoid of any stress, "if my accounting is not wrong, he was using my personal funds, not the state tax revenue. I have not utilized my personal salary or family estate yields for over five years. It has literally piled up in the deep vaults. If he wishes to use it, he has my authorization."
Demerti opened his mouth to argue, but Elara held up a single, pale finger.
"Secondly," Elara continued, her gaze turning sharp and analytical. "It looks like you are looking in the completely wrong direction, Demerti."
