[3rd POV]
"An important task?" Mei asked with a tilt of her head.
"Yes, an important task that would dictate the fate of this Empire." The Emperor said, his voice grand with purpose.
"Oh, okay."
The casual tone at which she said that would've angered the Emperor if it came from anyone else. But it was understandable since it was coming from her.
The world hated her.
So she hated the world back.
Although she was born in Tibet, she couldn't care less about it. In fact she didn't really care about anything in this world.
The Emperor had known her since she was a child so he knew her well. That was also why he realised to bring out the performance he wanted from her, he would have to convince her.
She was not like any other soldiers or nobles. She was the last of her kind, so although the King could try, he could not actually force her to do the things she did not want to do.
That was why throughout her life, he had tried to control her mentally using trauma.
Throughout the 20 years which she had lived, there was a fair share of people who took pity on her and there were maids who truly cared for her.
But they were all gone the moment they came to be.
The Emperor couldn't let such feelings develop. If some people got too close to Mei, they could take her away from his control. She was too special to form such vulnerable relations.
He also suppressed her as much as he could. He was also the reason why she was hated by most of the people in the court. He was the one pulling strings behind the scenes.
He did not want her to live like a normal person. Because a person has feelings, desires, and individuality. All of which Mei did not need.
In the Emperor's mind, she just needed to exist and follow his commands and follow them well.
Oh it was so easy to make everyone hate her. She was too powerful and gifted.
She was always in battle as she was the single most important factor for the Tibetan military. So, what if a rumour was spread that she was a cruel person who kills people in battle by not enhancing them with her powers like the others?
For instance, what if the son of a noble died while leading a battle and he was told that the reason of his death was that his son had some conflict with the Priestess and due to it, the priestess weakened him during a battle along with the enemies so that he may be killed.
There can never be a proof of the crime during battle, but there was also no proof of innocence.
And those were just some of the extreme cases.
Most of the time, the king did not have to do much. When one became too important and held too many responsibilities, they became the main target for people's blame.
We lost the battle, it's because of her.
I lost my friend, she should've helped their battalion instead of focusing on the enemies!
It was not logical, it never was.
But it would surprise you how far people were willing to delude themselves to feel good, to vent their frustration.
Especially when the target was an orphaned child neglected since birth, a human, and a soft-hearted girl who did not even know how to stand up for herself or know what was going on.
To this day, she believed that she was hated solely because she was a human. Although that was just a part of it, there was so much more.
Of course, she wouldn't know. The Emperor made sure of it.
"Your task will be to neutralize the threat known as Tai Lung." The Emperror said.
"I thought as much. Tell me what I must do, my lord and it shall be done." Mei said.
She would do as she was told, the Emperor knew this but he needed more than that. He needed her to give everything into this task.
For she was the most important factor to make this plan a reality.
A motivation, that's what she needed.
"And if you succeed this task given to you, I shall give you a reward."
"A reward?"
"Yes, I shall grant you what you have always wished for." The Emperor said with a knowing smile, "I shall turn you into a full Leopard."
The Emperor smiled when he saw the pause of her wagging tail. He could not see her face but he had seen enough to know what she was feeling.
"T-Turn me into a full leopard, is that even possible?" She asked, hesitant yet hopeful.
"You heard it Mei and yes it is possible. I am sure you have heard of our alliance with the Gupta Empire."
"Yes."
"Then did you know, the Emperor of the North, Samudra Gupta is a Mammoth? A species of elephant which was thought to have been completely extinct. This is because they have a ritual that allows a part of their bloodline to completely overtake the others." The Emperor explained.
"Samudra Gupta was not born a Mammoth, he was born as an exceptional Elephant with a small Mammoth bloodline in his veins. But with the help of this ritual, they were able to make him a pure-blood Mammoth. I can ask them to do this for you but for your leopard blood." The Emperor said.
It was a bait, a reward that took advantage of her insecurity which she thought was responsible for why she was so hated.
He had nothing to lose. It was not like the body would affect her Chi and and make her useless. In fact, Demi-humans were mostly more animals than humans so there was no problem on his part.
"So, what do you say?"
"It will be done my lord." She said. The Emperor liked the new firmness in her soft voice.
"I will do my best to take down Tai Lung."
And so, with a smile on his face and with her determination being on a level he was satisfied with, the Emperor discussed his plans with her.
And then after a few minutes of instruction, he sent her to Shigatse.
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[IMAGE]
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Reminder : It's two chapters.