Tia gently pushed the door ajar, silent as they smoothly parted to reveal a black corridor outside.
'Let's go.' Determined, she stepped through them, her heart pounding in her chest with both curiosity and slight anxiety.
She couldn't help but let her gaze wander over the expanse of the corridor. The walls, carved from what seemed to be a singular block of black marble, were polished to perfection, reflecting an almost mirror-like sheen.
'At least this part fits with the federation's propaganda.'
Golden trims lined the borders, adding a regal touch to the black abyss of the marble.
'This is, as the Federation's media would say, decadent, wasteful, and impractical.'
The Federation fleets and their state buildings were all about being functional, simple to build, and efficient—built for purpose, not style.
Yet, Tia couldn't help but despise it, feeling like living surrounded by nothing but dull concrete, metal, and glass was boring, stiffening, and choking off any spirit of freedom and aesthetics.
'Maybe it isn't that wasteful when considering moral implications. If I were a navyman, I would rather spend months on a ship like this than on one of those Federation's metallic coffins.'
A sharp, elderly voice, laced with impatience, pierced the silence. "Oh, women, you always take so long."
'That voice... I've heard it before.' As Tia's gaze settled on the speaker, recognition washed over her.
The handler and the shopkeeper who had recruited her leaned against the wall, in the dark black coats of the knights, the medals and ornaments signifying their rank glistening under the white overhead lighting.
'I wonder how many knights she has.'
Tia stood hesitantly for a moment, taking in her surroundings and the absence of Red-Eye. With the two familiar figures in their black coats waiting for her, Tia tried to exude confidence, even though a whirlwind of emotions raged inside her.
The handler gestured for Tia to follow her. "We don't have all day," she intoned, her voice like the cutting edge of a blade.
The two knights moved with quick steps, their boots rhythmically drumming against the polished floor.
'Are all knights this serious?' Hastily, Tia jogged to catch up to them.
Every step she took echoed softly, the sound merging with the gentle hum of the engines penetrating through the ship's hull.
As they continued their stride down the ship's corridor, the elderly shopkeeper knight turned to Tia.
"You'll be overseeing some trials today," the shopkeeper mentioned nonchalantly, his tone matter-of-fact. "And, unfortunately, a few executions as well."
"Executions?" she asked nonchalantly.
The handler, without breaking her pace or turning to face Tia, replied coldly, "Those who are a waste for society, such as criminals, those that led the resistance against our invasion, and the former corrupted officials, will be removed."
'So this confirms the second rumor... There is no need for prisons in the Empire.' The Federation wasn't a fair place to live, but they at least tried to keep the false facade of freedom.
'If you piss off the people in power in the Federation, you will go missing or die in an unfortunate accident.' Tia mused silently, keeping a smile from creeping onto her face. 'But if you angered them in the Empire, they wouldn't even try to be subtle about it—you would get a visit from uniformed people delivering your death sentence.'
It was cruel, but Tia could appreciate their honesty, hating the same snakes scheming in the background, like those that killed her in her previous life.
"What even is Red-Eye's role in the Emp—" Tia halted abruptly, a shade of color draining from her face as she caught her own slip in addressing the woman.
"Red-eye?" The elderly knight's stern demeanor shattered, and he chuckled. "Did you just refer to Her Grace by that moniker? It seems you have some privileges as Her Grace's favorite."
Tia bit her lip. 'What do they even think our relationship is?' She had come to terms with the occasional teasing in private, but to be called out so openly...
Her rising anxiety was interrupted as another knight chimed in. "We are here. The transport shuttle is there." Tia looked at the door her fellow knight pointed at.
(AN: Yeah, I know I promised a bonus chapter today, but something came into it. Sorry.)