For a while, the throne room was a pin-dropping silence. All eyes focused on the envoys with dark skin tone. Other than their strange clothing, their figures were taller and larger than anyone else in the throne room.
However, that wasn't what took the gazes of every single person in the throne room. It was the similarities between the emperor and the envoys, known as the Southern Beast tribe.
The Golden eyes and the Brown skin tone.
The major traits of the Southern Beast tribe's bloodline.
''Welcome to the Landian empire, southern beast tribe. This empress hopes the far journey did not tire you all that much.'' Seeing that the silence would continue and the emperor had no intention of speaking, Rose knew this was where the empress would come in to dissolve the tensed atmosphere.
After all, she was the wife of the emperor.
''The Southern Beast tribe thank your majesty the empress for the care.'' Rose met the same penetrating eyes as the emperor. However, these eyes gave a different feeling, probably because of the difference in the owners.
''My name is Basil, first son and heir to the Southern Beast tribe. On behalf of our chieftain, the Southern beast tribe bestows the silver fur of this beast.''
Beast?
Rose was confused until her eyes caught the sight of the knights pushing something large into the throne room.
It was a large cage made of silver bars, and the inside was not empty. A furry animal laid on the floor of the cage with its blue eyes eyeing everyone in the throne room like they were its preys.
''Oh my goodness….''
''Such large beast!''
''How audacious of them….''
''…in front of their majesties…''
''…but the fur is beautiful…''
The spectating nobles and envoys did not tone their murmurs and comments at the sight of the beast that was of a great size. While they abhorred and feared the terrifying sight of the beast, their eyes were not void of their greed for the beautiful silver fur, clean and void of any impurities.
Such fur was quite tempting for the princesses from different kingdoms to have for themselves. It wasn't every day that they would see a beautiful fur with a unique color.
'…a wolf?' Meanwhile, Rose guessed the name of the beast trapped in the cage. 'Why would they gift one of their kind?' Rose couldn't help but wonder about the intentions of the Southern beast tribe.
From the empress's memories about the Southern Beast tribe, the people all seemed to be half human and half beast. At their own will, they could change to either form.
The emperor's mother was from the Southern Beast tribe. However, the emperor didn't seem to have inherited the power to change into a beast. Even in the novel, it wasn't stated that the emperor had the power to change into a beast.
'Is there something that I missed?' Rose looked at the silver beast trapped in the cage. As though sensing her gaze, the beast turned its head towards her on its folded legs and his blue eyes met her amethyst eyes.
Just like the golden eyes of the emperor and the man named Basil, it was penetrating, but gave a different feeling.
'Hateful Bastards.'
''Huh?'' Startled with an echoing voice in her head, Rose lowered her gaze to basil and the envoys, only to find them waiting for her words. The voice did not come from them?
'Using me a token to strengthen the relationship between the Halfling and the tribe, I'll get you all for this.' Rose also knew that this voice dripping with venom did not come from the emperor since the latter had not spoken at all. The throne room was also quiet as all waited for her words.
'Then…' Rose returned her gaze back to the silver beast gazing dangerously at the envoys from the Southern Beast tribe.
'Did the voice come from the wolf?' Rose thought to herself, not expecting the beast to suddenly snap his gaze back to her.
'That human…did the voice come from her?'
'You can hear me?' Rose asked, surprised to know that the wolf heard her thoughts. Her eyes widened for a fraction of a moment. Her thoughts were suddenly visible to the wolf from the southern beast tribe?
How come?
Was there something special about the empress's body?
''Your majesty?'' A voice pulled Rose from her wandering thoughts, but she didn't bother to know the owner of the voice.
The empress's strange actions were not unnoticed by many in the throne room. Most of them thought the empress was reluctant to accept the beast since it was literally a beast capable of killing them.
If it was like that, the princesses from different kingdoms thought they could meet the envoys of the Southern Beast tribe to buy the beast from them.
It wasn't everything that the empress could have to herself. Most of the princesses have been gritting their teeth at the enviable treasures given to the empress. Not only did she have a handsome and powerful husband, she was also in a position to be worshipped by others like a god. Even they, as princesses, were not subjected to this many gifts and attention.
Eyeing the undecided empress, Basil was about to call for her again. The woman must definitely accept the gift since they couldn't return to the tribe not empty-handed.
''Your….'' Basil couldn't complete his words as the empress suddenly stood up from her throne. Without a word, she descended the short set of staircase covered in red carpet. The ends of her blue gown with shades of purple trailed after her movement.
Every one was confused by the sudden movement. It was also very perplexing when she passed the envoys from the southern beast tribe and made a bee-line for the beast in the cage.
''Move.'' The knights guarding the cage faced the red-haired empress. At her word, they hesitated before looking at the emperor. Hearing nothing from him, the knights slowly moved out of the empress's way but remained alert in case the beast suddenly charge at the empress.
However, before the knights could think twice, they saw the empress dip her arm through one of the spaces between the silver bar of the cage.
''Your majesty!'' The eyes of the knights popped out of their eye sockets. Did the empress want to die? The knights were about to take actions to guide the empress away from the horrid beast, but their movements paused at the sight of a pink tongue licking the empress's fingers.
The terrifying beast was licking the empress's fingers!
''This beast…'' The empress's lips curled up at sight of the beast licking her fingers before turning around to meet the puzzled eyes of the envoys of the southern beast tribe and practically everyone in the throne room.
''This empress will like to have her.''
>Enjoy!<