"Sova, come and clean my dishes."
"Sova, go and grab some extra pillow."
"Sova, bring my reports and documents upstairs."
"Sova, roll around and give me a paw~ and don't forget to bark cutely too."
"Sova... Sova... Sova..."
Yoo-Sui's voice echo in my head as I wonder how did all turn to this? Especially when...
*************************************
"Now, hold it right there, Ajuuma!"
Coming back a few days ago, after Yoo-Sui's ultimatum, Princess Mi-Ok appear in the nick of time to stop her alongside Yoo-Gisa but...
"So you showed up now of all times? What do you want princess?"
The princess charge in and takes a sit right beside me while pushing my shoulders down shouting:
"If that's the case, then it's the new royal family's that Sova's gotta be working with!"
Yoo-Sui summons forth a thick book so thick it feels like she could kill someone with it. She let's it float and flip open hundreds of pages until she stops at a certain one. She shove th book across the princess' face alongside a paper contract being tuck in between the pages where Yoo-Sui then says:
"It may be true that Sova attacked the Imperial Palace but unless you forget, following after the Coalition War Conference, the ownership of imperial treasury shall be shared amongst the noble families across the kingdom in accordance to tax laws."
The princess tilt her head asking:
"Sorry? How is that-"
"Imperial property on the other hand is being distributed by property laws, where the passage states that the land and buildings above owned by the Royal family will be considered separate."
The princess hearing that grabs the book grinding her teeth before she then slams it to the table shouting:
"So what!? We owned both!"
"Nah, ah-ah~"
Yoo-Sui wags her finger and points at the contract where there's a name below the signature belonging to Won-Yok, the current Supreme Commander which is signed around 13 years ago.
"The building above the land here, the imperial palace along with the entire capital city is stated to belong to whoever is in charge at the time following the Martial Law which IS still in effect so that every commander in charge can have the same authority of the late King to defend against the incoming invasion. And I'm sure you know what that means."
"Urp...!"
The princess ended up swallowing her words while Yoo-Gisa looks at Yoo-Sui with sparkling eyes as he softly whisper:
"(As expected of Yoo-Sui Unnie!)"
The princess' grip upon the book weaken while Yoo-Sui continue saying:
"The recent Conference and this new party is being held by me, The Capital Minister and Royal advisor to this new head of party. I'm given authority over the imperial palace. Albeit, all thanks to the new royal family and Won-Yok Gramps. So, technically speaking...
I make the decisions here as per all your agreements, and I say Sova will be under my jurisdiction. And you have no say in this since none of the new royal family or anyone died, thankfully."
"You and your technicalities! Every god damn time!"
Yoo-Sui shakes her head replying
"Don't feel so discouraged, Princess. It may be true that we're destroying the status quo but I hope you don't discard our morality in the process and ignore the reason why we're fighting in the first place. Besides, Princess, don't you think you have your hands full with my stupid brother by your side alongside those special talents? You even got a princess in Exile as well. As for me, I need some personal assistant and Sova will do just fine if what HER reports shows. As for safety... She can't do much but physical activities without that cursed armour."
"..."
(What the hell did she just say? Is that really what people study in school?)
But either way it seems to work well as Cold sweat drops from the princess neck while Yoo-Gisa turns away whispering:
"(I suppose this is why they call her the Voice of Victory. Even better yet...)"
Yoo-Gisa looks at me with a huge smile as if he's satisfied by the outcome before patting the princess on her shoulder saying:
"Mi-Ok I think we have better places to be. I think Sova will be in GOOD hands with my Unnie. And you of all people should know no one can beat her in arguments of "technicalities". She's more of a lawyer than judge."
"Hrghh! I refuse to back down from that nerd who can't even speak properly back at school! Fine, just you wait! That cutie will be mine! After all, more is never enough! Hahaha!"
The princess reluctantly leaves when Yoo-Gisa exits, but Yoo-Ah the ever so attached embraces me tight and Gisa grind his steps to a halt hearing Yoo-Ah shouts:
"Looks like you finally revealed your true colours, Sis! I knew you're acting all nice back at the inn is a sham! Shame on all of you! Sova is better off with me!"
*Stomp* *Stomp* *Stomp*
"A sibling rivalry huh? I could watch this forever... You heard her, Gisa. Snatch that cutie for me, will you?"
Mi-Ok rush back inside with an order but Yoo-Gisa simply shake his head and continue on with a simple,
"No. I got more important things to worry about."
"H-Huh? Hold on now! Is this how you're going to treat a maiden whose heart you've broken?!"
Gisa exits the stage early on, leaving Yoo-Ah and Yoo-Sui before she then simply vanish the book and rest her eyes saying:
"Let her go, or I'll resell all your idol collection you hide on the attic."
"Bwrgfph- Urree! That's not fair! Do that and I'll throw your tea collection at the basement to the ocean!"
Yoo-Sui wag her finger with a smug replying:
"Hum, hum, that's won't work when I hid it already."
"T-That's not fair! No!"
Yoo-Ah embraces me tighter as I feel a bit strangled when I see Yoo-Sui silently say:
"(Push her away)"
Before standing up and continue saying:
"Hum, Sova's precious to you no? And it's not like I'm going to kill hi-er. Mhm! And if it makes you a bit better, I'll let you visit HER in breaks. I thought you about taking responsibility haven't I? Now SHE has to take responsibility for her actions even if she doesn't mean it. Especially after we put our trust by vouching for HER back at the gates in the first place."
"Mmmgh!"
Yoo-Sui steps forward slowly as she eyes me down before saying:
"I'll be keeping a close eye on you. (Don't try any funny business or I'll send you straight to the underground Dungeon again)."
*************************************
As I scrub the dirt of her shoes, I look back at Yoo-Sui who's happily humming as she watch me do her chores while in her sleepwear. It has only been a day or two since I've been force into disciplinary duties but it feels like months.
(The chores I do at Uncle Soba's diner isn't this hard).
"So this is how royals live their lives? No wonder, I could get addicted to this."
"Uuuh... Save me..."
Yoo-Sui rests her cheek upon the arm rest as she cruelly say:
"Huhu, you really do play the part very well. Yuwei's right about how you can fit into any situation."
I fit her shoes to the box before crawling close asking:
"How could you do this? Aren't we allies? Don't you find this cruel? Yoo-Ah treats me so much better."
"Really? I actually find how my precious Lil Sis treat you like a pet more deplorable honestly."
"Huh? P-Pet? Wait, what? And... Didn't you treat me like that too just recently?"
*Smack*
"Shut up. Hum! I doubt she realize that herself since she probably see you as her only best friend. Maybe it's partly my fault she doesn't have friends or peers her age but... Either way, it's also your fault for seducing my precious little sister."
"That's... That's just bull schnitzel- ngk!"
She push my chin up with her bare feet to shut me up. She looks down at my face with a sadistic smile saying:
"And let me remind you, Yuwei knows all this. So, you're not going anywhere until we're done."
(Maybe I should've accepted Sis Hua's offer. But hearing that, maybe I should really ask Yoo-Ah why she treats me so kindly. Right, why did I never ask her that?)
Yoo-Sui leans over as she then pats my head saying:
"Don't worry, this is all just a huge stage and we're all playing a part. As for you... I guess you'll be helping Yuwei with the the incoming invasion when we're done with this fake civil war."
"F-Fake?"
"What? The fact that they're stupid enough to launch a coup in this situation is unbelievable enough. And the fact that our neighbors didn't invade these past few days when we're this weak just shows how much this thing is staged."
"You know... How did or why did you even agree to work under Sis Yuwei?"
Yoo-Sui walks over to the window and peek past the curtain as she then says:
"The way she plays everyone around like puppets is like how the Deity of Law orchestrate everything to suit their whims. I'm simply aghast at her influence. To put it simply... I wish to be like her. I've been played all my life by those debtors now I'll be the one to learn how to be a REAL Deity of Law!"
"Wait, isn't Sis the Deity of Knowledge?"
"That's true, I never suspected that when we first met but I'm wrong. Yuwei at the end of this new conquest wishes to have both the power of the Deity of Law and Knowledge if she want to rule her new realm, or at least devour this Confederation."
"Devour? Wait, you can be both?"
"Of course, that's the reason why she's here in the first place, and the reason why the Deities scheme against each other. She's setting up the bait so that they would bite, and when this northern peninsula Conquest is done...
Yuwei will become both the Deity of Law and Deity of Knowledge. Once again, this Confederation will have a figurative Heart of Jade. That is only if you didn't ask such ridiculous request to Yuwei when she is that close to absorbing her... Either way, there's still next time, and you Sova, will be a key player in helping that."
(I... Hope I don't have to do anything bad to Sis Hua).
"Oh, Won-Yok gramps is now leaving for the recapture of Meonbich."
"This late?"
I walk beside her and peek through the curtains, seeing rows of crimson guards, soldiers, calvary, and even war machines alongside siege engines marching out of the Imperial palace with their flags. Yoo-Sui moves back to her bed saying:
"I hope you're ready to mediate in a week when Hwa-Jin Gramps "lose" the battle."
"I have a bad feeling about this..."
Yoo-Sui snuck to her bed replying:
"You jest, now go sleep in the corner. I have more chores- mhm! More work for you tommorow."
"I see..."
I look down on the floor as I realize what she's doing...
(This isn't the first time it happens. I suffered worse than this).
I stand beside her bed and look down on her as she asks:
"Hmm? What is it?"
"No! I won't sleep in the corner, I... I deserve better treatment, why should I be judged for something I'm not even guilty of!"
Yoo-Sui gets up asking:
"What is this?"
"I won't be bullied by you! I had enough bullying in my life already!"
Yoo-Sui folds her arms replying:
"Hum? What are you trying to-"
"So what if Sis let's you, that doesn't mean I'm just going to lie down and take it. It doesn't change the fact, Sis needs me and if I don't like it then tell her I'm leaving."
"W-What!? Are you not afraid?"
Seeing her hand clenching to a fist, I get on my feet and stare back right at her glare. I turn my cheek toward her shouting:
"Go ahead! But the moment you hurt me, I won't help you anymore. Don't misunderstand, like you said, you're the one who needs me, not the other way around."
I borrowed Juha's language a bit as I rack my brain towards the events currently happening, remembering what Sis Yuwei told me before continuing with,
"I mean w-why should I continue working with a toxic person like you when I have better place to be than this chaotic kingdom- nay, Peninsula! Better yet, with the templars here I can just ask them to bring me back to the Theocracy without your help! They'll be more than happy to comply."
"S-Sova-"
I follow Moriz' example and grab her mouth to shut her up saying:
"If this is how my goodwill is being repaid... Family or not, this is not right, Sis Yuwei and you can... Can go suck a coconut!"
I turn and let her go when,
"Stop!"
As I'm about to rush out of the room she grabs my hand.
(Yea... It still works. My new family lives our whole life being bullied from the moment we left Eertie. As for me, it got a lot worse when we're not together or when I was looking for part time jobs before meeting Uncle Soba and Granny. And each time, Aunt Palka and May has taught me many trick on what to do, and this is one of them.
Yoo-Sui is very smart but so is May, and the best way to beat a smart person in an argument is to not argue at all or simply make them speechless. I may tolerate it if it's simply harmless teasing, misguided and uninformed, a friendly banter, or something without ill intentions... But this is clearly malicious!)
I try to hide the smile I make and turn to face Yoo-Sui who looks discerningly flustered as she tighten her grip.
"You...! I underestimated you."
"I'm not hearing any apology so let me go. Just like you I too have a family to find."
I try to act like how I deal with May when she tries to coax me and how I deal with desperate bosses who wouldn't pay my wage. By turning my back without giving an inch until I finally hear her grind her teeth.
*Grit*
"I... I'm sorry. Please, don't leave this peninsula just yet. I need Yuwei to succeed if I want Yoo-Ah to have a better life."
Hearing the sincerity and sadness in her voice I turn around to see Yoo-Sui staring down at her knees as she hides her face frome me. Her grip on my hands tighten even more as she says:
"Yoo-Ah... She's the only thing left for me, if you leave now it will screw everything. I'm sorry, I won't act so conceited to my superior anymore, but I can't stand seeing Yoo-Ah being deceived like so."
"That's rich coming from you now that I think about all this."
She pulls me close as she stares down into my eyes with a reddened glare, her grasp turns to a hand shake as she says:
"One way or another, you better tell her the truth, that's not negotiable. Right now, I won't let you meet her just yet, not until the Civil war is over. Especially when all records show how much you attract bad intentions, I can't shake the uneasy feeling."
I grip her handshake back replying:
"Yea, this is better. Sigh... I can imagine you're definitely be too busy to do any chores. I can still help you with your chores if you're that uncomfortable on leaving it with the servants here but... Know your limits."
"Very well..."
I let her hand go and lay down on her bed saying:
"Great, then goodnight!"
"..."
I can feel the cold daggers coming from her eyes and ignore it as it's the same reaction everytime any sly boss doesn't get their way for not paying my wages.