"Certainly, and what is that you ask of me, little one?" The deep tone of the emperor sends shivers to my spine.
I clenched and unclenched my hands before facing the old man.
Just like before, he's kind, way too kind for what he did to me.
"Please allow me to your meeting with the other nobles later," I bowed respectfully
I maintained my posture even though I knew I might faint any second from now.
The edges of my dress might be crumpled, but I couldn't care less.
I waited patiently until I gaze back at the face of the emperor.
He had his eyes wide opened, like that of his mouth.
As if dismissing a joke, he laughed and handed the tea down.
A servant came and fill up our emptied cup.
The emperor sighed and crossed his legs, attending to his posture before looking at me with a silly smile.
Unserious as he was, he offered another cup of tea.
"Let's pretend I didn't hear what you said little one. So now, I have something to say," he sipped from his cup and gazed around.
I did the same thing.
But I knew he'll look serious once I talked about it now.
"....so I want you to be Charles' partner at his upcoming birthday next month."
Maybe I was too preoccupied with my thoughts that the emperor suddenly talked about his second son's birthday.
I knew that he was a loving father to his sons but I never thought he cared this much to Charles.
In my first life, he wasn't like this. He likes the crown prince more than the youngest one.
Now, it seemed like its the other way around. Or am I just missing something?
"Yes your majesty," were the words that came, as if i was overshadowed by my past self
I might not be able to escape this, but I knew for a certain I can mitigate my chances of being selected as one of the prince's fiance by doing this
"Your majesty, with all of my honesty and humbleness, please allow me to speak my view," I asked
The old man might have noticed a sudden change in my aura and so he narrowed his eyes, as if selecting his choices.
He's always the same, he always has this terrifying look, an aura that could silence his enemies
Right now, it's almost as if he's doing that on purpose, in front of a young lady.
"There has been a problem with the empire's economy and it mistly stem with the way people are taxed. The unjust taxes among the commoners created a slight argument on their parts, so let me join your meeting later your majesty, and I'll give you the best solution. I promise I'm not going to disappoint you. Although I have a small favor to ask later..."
I knew that after speaking my mind, the emperor's gaze looked like he just seen a ghost.
I knew that the empire was undergoing some crises, even before Charles began his ascension.
The reason why I studied hard was the help him achieve the throne, only for me to fall back to some experimentations by that bald hubard.
"You're a very unique and intelligent young lady. So I guess let's make a bet."
***
The meeting will start two hours from now. Before the emperor dismissed our tea time, he mentioned about my intelligence.
He kept on praising my thoughts and I just kept on saying something not to overly be praised.
Because I have a favor to ask of him.
And it has something to do with the second prince.
"Sir Radian, if I may ask, what kind of person is the emperor?" I was curious if the emperor was this kind.
I knew he was a power hungry in my first life. Though he loves his sons, I don't know if that is true.
Sir Radian knelt in front, laid his right hand to my shoulder and leveled his sight to mine.
"He is a man of power," his voice spoke of no coat
He stated his words directly. His eyes continued to pierce my soul allowing my build-up saliva to go through my throat.
"Is he that powerful that he could punish anyone?"
Sir Radian laughed at my words. He stood and slightly messed my hair
"Silly, he just punish bad people, so you don't have to be afraid of him. He's kind and nice to those he loves..."
"So does he love his sons then?"
"Why, of course! Who said he doesn't love them?" Sir Radian chuckled at my words but I felt something was off.
Shaking my thoughts, I smiled at him and grabbed his hands
"If you say so and my first meeting with him is good. He seemed nice. He's been kind to me."
"See? Well, that's just the kind of person he is. Now let's go to your room. I know Rocca and Risa will be waiting for your preparation later."
"Do you think I'm weird because of it?"
"You know Lady Isabela?"
We stopped walking
He gazed at the garden besides the hall, and smiled at me.
"You surprised me with your intelligence at such a young age. No wonder the emperor accepted your proposal earlier."
"I knew it! So you were listening to us!"
"I just have to do my job, after all," he chuckled and pushed me to my room after walking for a while.
"So I hope you'll do better everyday, Lady Isabela!" He waived while the door continued to close.
Now, I know Sir Radian was a bit weird, weirder than the people I met.
"Now Milady? Let's begin a make over!"
A blanket handed on my vision blinding me until I can feel clothes dancing through my skin.
"Risa, are you thinking what I'm thinking?"
"Of course, Rocca. Let's make the lady look like a young adult!"
"No silly! Let's make her be cuter!"
"Oh, all right! So that the people around her couldn't resist her charms!"
I guess these two are weirder than Sir Radian.
***
I still have a few minutes before going to the meeting hall.
Unknowing of me, my feet must have mind of their own, because the moment I set my sight on the place, it's already the garden.
Vivid imaginations from last night erupted.
While the wind continuous to sway my hair, the warmth, collided with a sense of iciness, merged through my skin.
Until I saw a faint color of golden hue not far from the oak tree.
He was leaning on an apple tree. Besides him was a small lake, shining through the sun's radiance.
I knew that appearance well.
It's the crown prince.
A very kind person, brother and prince to all people and yet, he didn't survived in my first life.
I was about to take a few steps to him since I knew that greeting him after he wakes up might leave me a great impression.
That's what I thought when a hand grabbed mine, and my sight twirled as if the whole world turned otherwise
I felt like my face went to a hard wall. However, does a wall have a scent of wood like a nature's spring?
"Good morning, my lovely lady," a very familiar tone, a deep reverberating voice that echoes within my heart
The same tone of voice where my heart continued to flutter
I gazed at the person's face and saw a grin.
A not-so-happy grin as if finding out that I have made a mistake in front of him
His grip on my back tightened. I tried to argue for him to let me go but my mouth felt dry
"Next time, please look only at me, Lady Isabela. Only at me and no other else..."
What does he mean by that----
"Here," he let go of me and handed me a crown made of flowers
"I made them myself, and this will be the premonition of how you'll become my empress..."
A sudden warmth bestowed on my forehead followed by a swaying of my hair before Charles left me dumbfounded.
Only my hand touching the flowers above my head and nothing matters than a moxed emotion of warmth and coldness.
What does he want me to do?
Why did he suddenly became friendly?
Why of all?
Gabriel suddenly glowed and I have to go to a hidden place.
The book floated and revealed some words.
"Gain the favor of the mighty one, while the second one obssesed over you. See the real soul behind the young one's attitude and you'll find a broken lonely boy. One day, he'll be able to have his real self with you..."
***
"Your majesty, if I may share my proposal. Allow me to discuss a way for the empire to gain profits while beinging back to people the benefits they deserve..." I bowed
Gabriel's words have some hint and I just knew what to do
"You're a very brave young lady. So I guess, there's nothing wrong about hearing my future daughter-in-law's words, right everyone?" The emperor eyed everyone and no one dared to speak a word.
They all nodded while their body continued to tremble.
"Silence means, yes. So now, what shall you say, my little one?"
***
Third Person's POV
While Charles was walking towards the empty hall for an information he just gathered with his shadow assassin, he saw a familiar figure towards the garden.
The way the young lady's golden rose' hair shone from the radiance of the shine, how her hair flutter when the wind caressed them.
Her skin shine like a white wing of an angel.
Everything from her figure to her smile, and laughter, Charles recalled everything.
It made him feel as if his heart was contracting.
He felt unable to breath for a moment before gripping his chest tightly.
He felt his body was burning, and at the same time, everything around him focused on the young lady.
Even he doesn't understand himself. Why does he even care for a fragile lady who can easily be broken for a second?
He doesn't know but when he met Isabela, that's the moment he knew she's someone he wanted.
It's as if he longed for her.
A sudden feeling that he doesn't know where it came from.
Perhaps, their first meeting was the answer? He was within the forest, having some business transaction with his shadow assassin, and it's in the middle of the night
He traveled far just to corner a count in the southern empire.
Just when he thought everything goes under his plans, the count disappeared from the crowd, and when he was on the run to find him, there he saw a young lady lost in the forest.
He wanted to ignore her, but something caught his eyes.
The lady felt familiar.
It was a full moon, their ancestors advised them not to go outside the imperial palace when it's full moon and yet he disobeyed that rule.
Now, when the moon's lighting went to the young lady, Charles' eyes throbbed. His while body became numbed.
He felt unable to breath and when the young lady found him with his disguise, and touched him, it's as if he was healed.
Everything from going bersek to being healed by her touch, made him felt a sudden attraction.
Just then, after that event, he found out about the wish game, and won, and changed Isabela's fate by entwining his with hers.
"Please look only at me and no one else..."
His words rung through his ears. He doesn't know why he said those, but when he saw Isabela gazing at his older brother, his blood boil.
It's as if something he found first would now again be stolen by his older brother who had stole everything from him, the moment he was born.
"You are mine, only mine, Isabela...." He whispered through the rose he picked from the garden.
When his hand touched the transparent glass, a shadow behind him appeared
"Your highness, everything's now been ready. What do you want to happen now?"
"Good, then let's start with this plan..."