“Of course, ma’am. And may I also ask how you are doing?”

“Personally, or medically?”

“Either, ma’am. I know you had your network installed a few weeks ago. I want to be sure you have no side effects from that.”

With the hand not currently holding a utensil, Cardenia reached back to the spot on her neck, just at the base of her skull, where the seed of the imperial neural network had been implanted, to grow into her brain over the course of a month or so. “I had some headaches a week after it was implanted,” she said. “It’s fine.”

Drinin nodded. “Very well. Historically, headaches are not uncommon. If you experience any other side effects let me know, of course. It should be fully implanted by now, but you never know.”

“Thank you, Doctor,” Cardenia said.

“Ma’am.” Drinin nodded and moved to leave.

“Dr. Drinin.”

Drinin stopped and turned. “Ma’am?”

“After the transition I would be pleased if you and your staff were to remain in the service of the emperox.”

Drinin smiled and bowed deeply. “Of course, ma’am,” he said, and departed.

“You know you don’t have to ask every member of the imperial staff to stay,” Naffa said, after he had gone. “You’d spend your first month doing that.”

Cardenia motioned to where the doctor had departed. “That man is going to be giving me physical examinations for decades,” she said. “I think it’s okay to ask him personally to stay.” She looked up at her aide. “It’s weird, you know. You not eating with me right now. Just standing there with your tablet, waiting to tell me things.”

“Staff doesn’t eat with the emperox.”

“They do if the emperox tells them to.”

“Are you commanding me to eat whatever disgusting thing you’re eating with you?”

“It’s not disgusting, it’s a cinnamonfish bouillabaisse. And no, I’m not commanding you. I’m telling you that you may, if you like, have something to eat with your friend Cardenia.”

“Thanks, Car,” Naffa said.

“The last thing I need right now is you being staff all the time. I do actually still need friends. Friends who don’t get worked up about who I am. You were the only kid I knew when we were growing up who didn’t make a big deal out of me being a princess.”

“My parents are republicans,” Naffa reminded her friend. “If I treated you differently because of who your father was, they’d’ve disowned me. They’re still mildly scandalized that I’m working for you now.”

“That reminds me that when I become emperox, I’ll be able to give you a title.”

“Don’t you dare, Car,” Naffa said. “I’ll never be able to go home for holidays.”

“ ‘Baroness’ has a nice ring to it.”