"You heard me, you're going to be working in the Royal Court as my spy," Slayer said throwing over the documents at my face. I snatched it and reread the contents. His M-mole? In the Royal Court? IN ELERDIA'S COURT?!! Is this karma?!
"Why do I have to work at the Royal Palace!" I cried, " I don't have any experience!" Even though that was a lie, I was working there for a little over 8 years.
"Don't worry, I'll personally tutor you on how to work in the Royal Court," Slayer said as if it was supposed to make the situation any lighter. How? Wasn't the Palace my enemy?! Where was my dream goal to reach a vacation? Talk about a pure coincidence of fate!
"And what can I get out as working as a Royal Advisor?"
"Do you want to work as a maid?" Slayer said, "You'll get free cash money, and besides you'll have a chance to use this opportunity as a stepping stone to be a Noble. It's a deal isn't it?"
"An n-noble?"
"You are a merchant's daughter aren't you?"
I bit my lips in anger. Why the hell would I want to work as a noble?! Aren't I already a Duchess?! I am Duchess Castano, who can stop me from working in the Royal Court! I even destroyed the Kingdom! (I'm gonna skip out the part where I got executed tho.)
"Well, women aren't allowed in the Royal Court, you know that right? Unless you have a strong backup?"
"Correct. You will have a strong backup. I have a friend acquainted with a Marquess. The Marquess is really close to the Archduke of Elerdia."
"Tch!" Acquainted with the Ice statue?! Isn't my status enough?
"You do know that one of the most influential people in Elerdia is the Duchess?" I said casually.
"A duchess?" Slayer raised his eyebrows. "I wasn't aware... when did a Duchess come from?"
"Ah... the Duchess is the only female close to the Royal Court. Don't you know how dangerous it will be for me if I work there as another female?"
"Why?" Slayer confusedly asked. I rolled my eyes, this jerk wouldn't understand anything.
"Fine, won't it be good if I become a noble involved in Social Circles? I don't need to go to Court."
"Hmm?" Slayer said thinking about it. I dodged it, bitting my lips down as I let go of another dream.
I don't want to work! I just want my damn vacation- and now someone kidnaps me, throws me through torture, and now wants me to work for them?!
Tch.
"Look. I'll for you, under one condition– you will not harm me, or physically or mentally harm me in any way, you also better keep your word, or else, I'll make sure things won''t go easy for you." I said.
As long as I get back to Elerdia, I can revert to my original authoritative position and overpower him from there.
"Good. It's settled." Slayer said, clapping his hands.
"Hmm." I took a breath of relief. Finally, at least he won't be sending me somewhere barbaric. My home country is the best option right now.
"Alright, you can start the mission now. Leave for Elerdia, now." He waved his hands.
I stared at his fingers.
He kept flicking his fingers. And I kept staring at it.
Time went on by and his hands started oscillating back and forth. "What are you doing? Are you waiting to see a magic spell?" He said glaring at me.
"That's why I was waiting. I was waiting for my ride," I said.
"Huh?"
"What huh?" I repeated it back to him.
"It seems like you don't understand the severity of my orders."
"I do, it's just that I'm waiting for your preparations," I said.
"I already gave it to you. Do you think I'm a joke to you now?"
"No!" I yelled in fear that he might torture me. "I meant- that how..?"
"How?"
"How am I supposed to get there?" I asked him. "To Elerdia..?"
Slayer blinked his eyes with a straight face he continued with a single word. "Walk."
"What the F*CK?" I stared at this man in disbelief and shock. Walk? Walk where? With whom? Who would walk? I don't even know this place! This is child abuse! If Human Trafficking wasn't enough, he tells me to walk?
"What should I do with you..?" He sighed. "Why did I even hire you?"
"What..?" I asked him. There was no way he thought that I was actually a Child Warrior or something right? No, no, I'm just a regular noble. "By the way, you do know that I am a daughter of a merchant right?"
"..."
"It's not too late to terminate this contract, so if you can, please kindly let me go~"
"No." He said firmly.
"Pretty please."
"The contract is the contract."
"Then give me a carriage!" I ordered him. "There is no way that you can expect a lady to walk out there in the cold, without anything in her hands, and in a foreign unknown land, on top of that– I'm exploited!"
He slapped his head. "Carriages are dangerous to pull back on top of the Northern Mountains. Many have died on their way down, walking is much safer."
Did this Monster think I could walk back?! All the way down to Elerdia?!
"I am not walking all the way there!" I said. "You didn't even give me a map!"
"..." Slayer looked at me.
"Don't you feel pity for someone like me who is just a young lady?!"
"I have no choice, but to carry you back then," Slayer said sighing.
Huh? He approached me slowly and I moved back in reflex, but slowly his hand cut through my neck, letting my consciousness darken and lose itself.
"Ah sh*t." I cursed under my breath. I hated to lose to this man.
***
***
"The Duchess of Castano is missing, yet no one was able to trace her down! How is this possible!" The Emperor yelled. "Guards, what is the meaning of this!?"
"Sire! Not much is known, but the Castano Dukedom has already set out all of their Knights to look, even the Archduke has left to look for the Duchess." One of the Squires answered.
"You mean that block of sh– I mean my grandson has left?!" The Emperor yelled. "Without even telling his Grandfather–!" Soon the Emperor coughed and held back his choke.
"Your Majesty!" The First Prince came walking towards the Emperor and patted his back. "Compose yourself, if you overwork yourself, you are ought to lose your health yet again."
"...First Prince." The Emperor coughed. "It seems that my time has come to an end."
The entire court went silent to this sentence. Prince Jacob de Volpe darkened his expression and flicked his out to dismiss the entire courtroom session.
"Jacob... when I die, I want you to pass over the Throne to your cousin and assist him during his rule. I believe you will be able to help him and assist him to a bright future. I believe that you will do this as a favor from your Grandfather?"
"...Yes, anything for his Majesty." Jacob Volpe bowed, biting his lips, "I will assist my dear cousin brother during his reign of the kingdom."
The Emperor sighed and also dismissed him. The First Prince did not look happy as he left the Court.
***
***