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Urduja lays on the pond full of mud after she has finished her artificial obstacle course race training. She always woke up early to make good use of her renovated training ground. It is refreshing that she managed to try the obstacle course again and again. She feels like she has returned as her true self, Corinne Fallen.
"Oh? That is his decision?" Urduja asks after she heard the report, looking at Gertrude, who had a dejected expression.
Gertrude nods. "Yes, Your Imperial Majesty. I have done my best to exert my effort to provide the rightful pieces of evidence so the Emperor can dismiss this case choosing your side. But that is how he judged the situation."
'As expected from him.' Urduja mutters in her mind and twitches her lips, then she shrugs. "It's fine. I don't mind it anyway. He is an asshole, after all."
Camila, Ingrid, Polly, and Gertrude softly gasp from the flabbergasting remark Urduja spouted. They even exchange glances at each other, wide-eyed. They must get used to how Empress Urduja speaks ill of the Emperor. She is always like this ever since her tongue-tied condition is healed. So it is understandable that Empress Urduja is holding a grudge against Emperor Alistair, which is why she kept on slandering him behind his back.
But slandering the Emperor of Lucelence Empire is a crime, according to the imperial codebook. A person can be accused of treason because of this. If someone is caught, death shall be the punishment.
But Corinne doesn't care about it. Instead, she trusts her four ladies-in-waiting, just as the real Urduja trusted them, that they wouldn't tell a soul.
Gertrude forces herself to agree, but she feels discomfited as she sees Her Imperial Majesty laying her back on the mud. "Y-Your Imperial Majesty, aren't you feeling uncomfortable l-laying there?"
"What do you mean?" Urduja turns her head to Gertrude. She sees the discomfort expression on her lady-in-waiting, Gertrude. She chuckles. "C'mon! Loosen up a bit, Gertrude. I had gone from training, so I am hoping you girls would join me here to try my obstacle course." She grins. "It's fun!"
"I-I—"
"I might require it for the four of you. We can train together, and you can help me train on my aura element." She sits and stands. "Polly," she calls.
Polly steps forward. "Yes, Your Imperial Majesty? Your orders?" she asks softly.
"Can you do the honor?" Urduja lowers her eyes to her muddy body.
"C-Certainly, Your Imperial Majesty." Polly moves and points her hand to Urduja.
In a moment, water appeared before Polly's hand. Urduja closes her eyes, feeling the water current washing the mud off from her body and to the clothes she wore. It feels like she is under the water current of a waterfall, but it was facing her horizontally, not vertically.
She slowly peels her eyes as soon as Polly halts. It means Polly has done washing her.
'I envy her for having a water element. I wish I had that as my aura element.' She pouts in her mind.
"Thank you," she utters in a sweet tone. "Let's head back."
She has to return to the palace in this kind of look in which her clothes are dripping wet. As much as she wants to stay in the training ground a little longer, unfortunately, she can't, for she has matters to attend to by helping the emperor tend the Lucelence Empire's state affairs.
As she is making her way back to the palace, the Imperial Knights catch her in such a horrible state as she passes by their training grounds. Again. They wonder what happens to the empress whenever she trains alone. They almost pitied her right now because their emperor never favors their empress anymore. But, then, what the empress did next surprised them.
Her Imperial Majesty laughs when she starts sprinting away from her ladies-in-waiting. It means that the empress is making fun of them. It always happens every single day.
They hear how the four ladies-in-waiting gasped. "Y-Your Imperial Majesty, please w-wait for us!" There is a distressed tone masking on their voices as they start dashing to follow Her Imperial Majesty.
The Imperial Knights exchange glances at each other, wondering what just happened again. It seems like the emperor's concubines didn't oppress her just by seeing her dazzling expression these past few days. They are still not used to seeing how high-spirited she is nowadays, unlike those times when the emperor's concubines are oppressing their empress.
"Her Imperial Majesty has been cheerful and spirited these past few days," Heloise Coxe, the vice-captain of Merry Summer Knights, says with a smile.
"It seems she is having fun in her newly renovated training ground," Rannulf Ware, vice-captain of Irish Fascon Knights, says, holding two scrolls. He bestows the other one to her.
"I have never seen that kind of smile ever since she was crowned as our empress and married our Emperor Alistair," Heloise adds before she reads the scroll that contains the next mission for today.
"I love her training ground. With the help of Lady Ingrid, Lady Camila, and Lady Polly, they have created the magnificent training ground I ever wanted," Daniel Harden, vice-captain of Rain Header Knights, says as his eyes are sparkling.
"How did you even know about that? Did you take a peek even though His Imperial Majesty ordered us not to trespass there?" Heloise's eyes enlarged, sending Daniel a glare.
"Whoa... Whoa... Calm down, Dame Heloise. I just happened to pass by days ago when I took orders from Captain Evrardin," Daniel says defensively.
"If His Imperial Majesty hears your compliment about Empress Urduja's training ground, he'll have your head."
They are startled when they hear that familiar voice. Heloise, Rannulf, and Daniel turn their heads to see Alysone Briain, the captain of Garnet Songs Knights, who is smiling sweetly at them. She is with her vice-captain, Manfred Augur.
"C-Captain A-Alysone, g-greetings!" The three vice-captain Imperial Knights say in unison.
Alysone giggles. "Greetings!" she greets back but with a sweet tone.
They all gulp when they hear her kind of tone. For the vice-captains, her sweet tone is dangerous. Whenever she had that tone, it meant disaster and bloodshed. This is why they are startled and nervous whenever Captain Alysone has that tone.
"So, what is your word with Empress Urduja's renovated training ground again, Vice-Captain Daniel?" Alysone asks with a smile, taking a confirmation of the compliment he uttered earlier.
Daniel flinches from her question. He gulps and bows his head. "P-Pardon me, C-Captain Alysone. I-I will never s-say that again..." he stammers.
"Hmm?" Alysone hums. "I wonder what His Imperial Majesty says if he hears it. Do you want to know?" She giggles which made Daniel's face had gone color.
Even Heloise and Rannulf have goosebumps from the dangerous tone of Alysone. If words are out about what Vice-Captain Daniel said and reaches the emperor, Daniel will be immediately executed at the emperor's hands.
"Tormenting the vice-captains, Alysone?"
Alysone's smiling face suddenly changes to a stoic one. 'That familiar voice...' She huffs and turns her head to see that person. "I see you are still alive, Captain Azarius." She grins, seeing who is beside Azarius. "Vice Captain Wulfsige." She chuckles. "I thought the underdog knights are already extinct here in the Imperial Knights," she says mockingly.
Captain Azarius scoffs with a smirk. "Oh, you thought wrong, Dame Alysone. This is proof that I am still here so I could ruin your day."
"Captain." Manfred immediately stops Alysone on her shoulder when she magically appears with her magic armament, rapier sword and points it at Azarius with an annoyed expression.
"Oh, I see. So you are looking for a fight." Azarius smiles mockingly and appears in his magic armament, halberd. He points it to Alysone. "I see that you are still as hot-headed as the sun, Captain Alysone."
"Captain Azarius, not here, please," Wulfsige says, shaking his head.
The tension is rising as Alysone and Azarius cannot be stopped by their own vice-captains. The three vice-captains of the other squads, Heliose, Rannulf, and Daniel, are already gulping. They want to get away from the field already and return to their post. But, on the other hand, they don't want to get caught by the short-tempered two captains.
Alysone and Azarius narrow their eyes and are about to attack when the ground shakes as wild vines sprout from the ground, making the two captains jump backward to get away from them.
They turn their heads to see Gerald Bosques, Captain of Blue Rose Knights, who is touching the rim of his eyeglasses, looking at them, stony-faced. Beside him is his vice-captain, Yvette Thyme.
"I hope you have a valid reason why you two are bickering at each other and on the edge of starting a fight, Alysone, Azarius."
Alysone flips her hair and magically vanishes her weapon into thin air, huffing. "Everything is peaceful if only Azarius hadn't arrived." She glares at him, smiling sardonically.
Azarius shrugs his shoulders. "I only stop Alysone for tormenting the vice-captains from the other knight squads."
Alysone is about to defend herself when Gerald lifts his hand to stop her to utter a word. "Let not His Imperial Majesty reach this kind of impudent behavior if you two shall not want to receive punishments." Gerald turns at the vice-captains from other squads. "Go back to your captains," he orders.
Heloise, Daniel, and Rannulf nod their heads and salute Captain Gerald. "Yes, Captain Gerald." They start marching away from the area to follow his order.
"As for you two—" Gerald's words are cut off when he catches sight of Azarius walking away with Wulfsige. He sighs in defeat. "That Azarius..." He turns to Alysone, who is already frowning seeing Azarius marching away. "Alysone," he calls.
"What?" Her annoyed expression is all over her face.
Gerald arches his eyebrow. "Remember that you are an elite knight chosen by Emperor Alistair. So must you learn not to behave hastily, or you shall share the same fate like Azarius," he remarks meaningfully.
That makes Alysone slit her eyes at Gerald before she averts her gaze away from him. Then, she pivots around and begins to march out. "Manfred, let's go."
Manfred jolts. "Y-Yes, Captain." He glances at Captain Gerald before he bows his head before him. "We are going to leave," he utters with a polite tone before he leaves to follow his captain.
Yvette steps forward to settle beside Gerald. "Are you going to report this to Sir Maximus, Captain Gerald?"
Gerald takes a deep breath before he fixes his eyeglasses. "It is a must." He is not going to let this slide. Maximus trusts him to report anything if he finds something inappropriate. He lasted to be the captain of the Blue Rose Knights for years because he is a trustworthy knight and a captain. If he becomes unfitted for the role, he will also share the same fate as Azarius.
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"This is the last year's account records you wish to seek, Your Imperial Majesty," Isaac says as he carefully places the account records on Urduja's desk.
Urduja nods her head. "Thank you, Viscount Isaac. You may leave," she orders.
Viscount Isaac bows his head. "As you wish, Your Imperial Majesty."
Urduja waits until Viscount Isaac leaves her study room. The moment he left, she sighs in exasperation and slumps her head to the desk.
"This is so tiring..." she murmurs, frowning.
She can't tend to state affairs if she hasn't reviewed and checked the Lucelence Empire's account records. She learned this term, account records, from one of the manhwas she used to read, which the timeline is as historical as what she is right now.
She hisses when her eyes spill a glance at the five books of account records from last year. Of course, she already studied the previous year's account records from where the real Urduja started reigning as the empress. But she needs to know the past three years before Urduja reigns to have reliable information about how everything works here in the empire. She may have to ask Viscount Isaac for help about that matter soon.
Why is she doing this?
It is because she has to do her duty as the empress of this empire. She needs to understand how everything works as an empress. It has a lot more workload than she used to have when she was in her original world, living as Corinne Fallen.
Shoulders slumped, Urduja takes one book and opens the pages. "Now I understand the elders saying that they would rather go back studying than working their ass off," she whispers. She used to say this kind of mantra when she started having some part-time jobs after dropping out from her college. However, she understands now that earning money is not that easy.
But the situation is quite different because she is the empress. It seems like she is a president in a country that needs to attend some national affairs.
"Boring..." She pouts. "This is as boring as the lecture my professor taught in my Criminology class way back as a third-year student..." She sighs again.
After contemplating, she stretches her arms before she begins to engross herself in the account books. She spends her whole day there in her study room, taking all the information she receives.
She looks down and touches the bodice of her gown. She is having a hard time adjusting herself to wearing a corset underneath her dress.
"Fuck this life..." Yes, she can't help herself exploding a series of expletives. How messed up it can be for her soul to be bound to this body that is not hers after all.
As soon as she finishes the first book, she sets it aside. A knock startled her after she stretched her arms.
"C-Come in," she utters softly when she saw it was Viscount Isaac, her assistant for the matters here in her work.
Viscount Isaac enters her study room and bows before her. Urduja notices a parchment held carefully by him. He approaches her desk and bestows it. "A report from Sir Maximus, Your Imperial Majesty."
"Report?" She takes it. 'Is this from their investigation of the real Urduja's pond incident?' She can't help herself but wonders.
She delicately handles the report and reads it meticulously. "What's this?" she asks as soon as she finishes reading it. "An almost upheaval from the captains of Garnet Song Knights and Diamond Moon Knights earlier this morning?" She looks up at Viscount Isaac for confirmation.
'What are they? Acting some kids creating such a stir?'
Viscount Isaac nods. "Yes, Your Imperial Majesty."
"But why is Maximus reporting this to me?"
"He made two reports for each of you and His Imperial Majesty. The Imperial Knights must be strictly monitored as well, even as the elite knights. This is why if an inconvenience happens, it must be reported to you and Emperor Alistair."
"Huh..." Urduja pauses, perplexed for some reason. 'Diamond Moon Knights?' This is her first time seeing the knight squad named Diamond Moon Knights. Sure, she knows the names of the squads of the Imperial Knights. There are ten squads in the palace, including the elite knights, but... 'Are they a new squadron?' She can't help but ask herself. Urduja wants to ask Viscount Isaac, but she chooses to stay silent. 'I'll just ask Gertrude later.' She glances at him. "Do I have to order disciplinary action for this?"
"Not necessarily, Your Imperial Majesty for Sir Maximus is the one who sets this. But if you do seem fit to give them a disciplinary action, I can suggest it to him."
"Hmm." She pinches her chin. Then she clears her throat. "Well, then, please do suggest it to him to have these two captains run a hundred laps around the Clair de Lune Palace. This is to inform him that the Imperial Knights must not misbehave and must not create such an uproar, especially the captain of Garnet Songs Knights, for she bears the elite knight's crest."
Viscount Isaac listens to her in silence, taking a bit of surprise that the empress has executed a suggestion for disciplinary action. Usually, whenever he sends a misbehaving report, Empress Urduja doesn't deal with the Imperial Knights since Sir Maximus is the one who is in charge of this. So as soon as he hears her suggestion, he bows before her.
"Your wish is my command, Your Imperial Majesty."
He leaves after that. Urduja smiles in satisfaction. She is hoping Maximus will take her suggestion.
That kind of disciplinary action is usually what she experienced when she was Corinne Fallen. She remembers how their PE instructor usually told them to run a hundred laps every time they finished their obstacle course.
It is what she always told herself that this is the cruelty of training to become the police. She can even enter the military if she wants to. If only she had chosen to join the military before, not taking Criminology as her college course, she might have received an allowance there. Unfortunately, that hefty allowance will not result from her, entering as a part-time worker.
She lowers her eyes to reread the report. 'Alysone Briain... captain of Garnet Songs Knights. It's a relief that there is a woman who can be a captain from a squad.' She is a bit surprised because she thinks that there is discrimination against women here in this empire. Now she proves herself wrong. 'This Alysone Briain is proof that women can rule as well...' She smiles. 'I can manage to be an empress of this empire then.'
But then, she remembers something. "Diamond Moon Knights... Hmm..." Her curiosity is getting her. She has no idea that there is an Imperial Knight squad named Diamond Moon Knights. "I will ask my ladies-in-waiting later," she says and shrugs her shoulders.