After the long lunch and getting acquainted with the new culture all morning, they finally head back.
The four stretch as they take an after lunch walk back to the palace.
Violetta puts her hands behind her head while looking towards the sky.
What's really getting on her nerves is how hard it is to control magic. She remembers the times before when she looks at the adults doing calculations quickly and now she's looking at the entire Demigod Society wondering how exactly they do those hard things too.
'Maybe I should ask someone from the society with wind magic like me to teach?'
Soon, they reach the palace gates again. This time, the guards don't block them, since they recognize the faces.
Violetta faces her tattered building and courtyard before sighing again. It's great that the rooms are moderately furnished, but the fact that the outside is covered in broken bricks and torn rags just triggers her. She really wishes she could use her wind magic and just blow away all that loose dust and sediment, then refurbish the entire building.
She pulls at the rags, 'Why was there cloth on the outside of a building anyways? People here have weird designs…'
'Also we might add glass while we're at it…'
-two hours later-
"P-princess, what are you doing?" Kate asks worried.
She looks at Violetta's haggard face before saying, "Please take a rest. By the way, Concubine Lotus says she's dropping by in the evening..."
"What?!"
Violetta's face immediately becomes serious, 'What does she want?'
In the evening…
The arrogant figure of Lotus shows up at the front door of Violetta's courtyard. Behind her is an absurdly long line of maids.
She opens her fan fashionably and gives a haughty smile to Violetta.
"Hello Violetta, how was your day?"
Violetta looks at her sideways, 'Wow, no courtesy? Then don't blame me.'
"Of course it was fine, sister," she says emphasizing the last word. In return she also gives a dazzling, but fake smile back.
One could almost see the tension between their eyes.
She continues, "Since this was the courtyard given by his highness, please don't expect much."
A vein on Lotus's forehead bulges. She knows it's a direct attack to her, meaning: The Emperor gave Violetta a broken courtyard which is disrespectful and hurts his reputation. And all this is her fault because she requested the Empress's courtyard and told him to give her an old tattered one.
Ignoring the look on Lotus's face, Violetta strolls down the hall to the dining area, wearing her traditional HanFu she bought in the morning.
Note: HanFu is the type of traditional chinese dresses you see in chinese dramas about ancient times and gods and stuff. Hope this helps. If not, please ask Google-sama.
They were of much higher quality than the ones deliberately given by the maids. The light colors seem to accentuate her black hair and pale skin.
Her aura almost made it seem like she is the main star. The fact that she was walking before Lotus and the rest made them feel like they were her entourage.
The concubine inconspicuously clenches her teeth, 'How dare such a peasant act like this with me?!'
Soon, they arrive at the wooden table in the dining room. Violetta swiftly takes her seat and Lotus takes hers on the other side.
Immediately, they begin the battle...
"Violetta, when I heard you were living here, I felt so bad! How are you these days? Have you been feeling well? Do you need anything? It must be so different from where you used to live. If you need anything, don't hesitate to reach out to me!"
She starts her act, her eyes scanning Violetta up and down, and her arms trembling as she reaches out. She bends her knees, looking like she was wronged and forced to kneel.
Violetta looks down on Lotus. The concubine who reaches out as she staggers towards Violetta looks up into the cold rose-colored eyes.
She freezes, hesitating.
It's as if the figure in front of her knew all her nasty thoughts and plans! Lotus shivers.
"Thank you for your concern, but I've been well!" a melodious voice rings in the air.
Violetta places her hands on Lotus's arms, pulling them both up.
"You shouldn't do that again, sister! I can't keep looking down on you like that!"
'You dare? You dare look down on me?!' Lotus's eyes flare angrily.
Violetta wouldn't have let this thought past her.
'Silly, I meant literally looking down on you.'
They reach Lotus's original seat. The black haired princess puts her down before returning to her original seat.
"How have you been? You must be gaining so much favor from the Emperor… ah, I'm so sorry, I just remembered you didn't even have a wedding! How careless of me. Do forgive this ignorant one!"
Violetta inwardly whistles, 'Her words are getting sharper.'
Maybe if it was one of the maids at the side or any of the concubines, they'd have a different reaction but...
Unfortunately for Lotus, Violetta was one who could care less, in fact would rather not even have the wedding so it caused her no pain for it to be brought up at all.
"I've been really well, sister! How about you? Oh, right I saw a lot of red marks on your neck when you came in… are you okay? There must have been a big mosquito biting you at night! You must get treated alright? Don't hold it in, go call the imperial physician!"
A flash of surprised looks fill the room, even looks of ridicule from the maids.
Lotus's gaze flashes with disbelief. She looks at the young girl in front of her. She really couldn't tell if this princess was so pure as to not know about that… or if she did and was deliberately calling the Emperor a big mosquito.
Of course it was the latter. Violetta knew that Lotus had deliberately worn a bit more revealing clothing to show off her hickeys from last night, or every night.
'I really don't get why they would want to show off their broken capillaries,' Violetta rolls her eyes inwardly.
"You over there! Go get an imperial physician-"
"No, no it's alright. I will get one later. Let's finish the meal first," Lotus cuts in.
Even though there were looks of ridicule from the maids, Lotus knew that if she was meeting the physician, the Emperor would come over and if he knew how pure this princess in front of her is… she grits her teeth. There was no way she'd let that happen!
"B-but, sister! It's not good to bleed so much! I'm worried!"
Lotus's act almost drops. She's so annoyed with this stupid princess!
"I'm fine, I'm fine. Don't worry about it. I have so many maids and the Emperor to take care of me."
An imperceptible smile flashes in Violetta's eyes, "Then, that's good."
The rest of the meal is quite silent with occasional questions from Lotus and Violetta's curt answers.
Even the maids were uncomfortable by the awkward tension in the air. It was only Violetta, who ate leisurely with thoughts like:
'The food's so plain… I need to go grind some more peppers. I should get Delta to make me a pestle and mortar. Ah~ the wonders of having magic and saving money~'
'I also need to pay back Chris later for buying all that stuff for us and exchange the currency…'
'I can't wait to get out of these heels, luckily the dress is long. They won't notice if I take the heels off right?'