As the empress of the empire and the wife of the emperor, one would have expected her to have power second to none other than the emperor.
Yet…these memories told her a different scenario.
Outside the imperial palace, rumors spread far and wide about the emperor's undying love for his one and only empress. It was even said that the emperor had fallen for the empress upon first sight at her ethereal beauty during a banquet, and he demanded for her hands in marriage from the Grand duke, who was her father.
However….those living inside the imperial palace knew of the actual truth. The one who was truly in power aside from the emperor was not the empress but the queen, the emperor's first love.
Even after the grand imperial marriage between the empress and the emperor, the power to manage the imperial palace had never fallen into the hands of the empress. It remained with the queen as though nothing was wrong about such.
Besides that, the emperor had rarely visited the empress's bed chambers after the wedding night. It had always been the empress going to visit him in his office, but her request for an audience had never been granted.
The queen, on the other hand, was the opposite. Not only did she have the privilege of seeing the emperor whenever she wanted to, the emperor had frequently stepped into her bed chambers, very different from the empress' bed chambers that was cold of his presence.
'And you're telling me that this man worries about my health with another woman currently by his side?' Rose Kingston, the red-haired lady on the bed, sneered with a contemptuous smile. She really wanted to laugh, wondering why the rumors about the great love between the empress and emperor existed in the first place, if the situation was truly like this.
The empress was nothing but an empress in name only.
''His majesty is in the queen's bed chambers?'' She repeated the head maid's words as though asking a question.
''As this servant implied, your majesty.''
''Hmm….this empress feels his majesty's worries very clear…'' Toying with the silk material of her night gown, Rose hummed in response, feeling tired of her sitting position. She relaxed her stiff muscles by straightening her knees and overlapping her hands on her laps. Her back still remained relaxed on the headboard, and head slightly tilted upward with her chin raised to the ceiling.
''is there anything else you need to speak with this empress, head maid?'' Closing her eyes in calmness, Rose Kingston enjoyed the peaceful state around her, especially with how relaxed she felt. The soft pillow against her lower back was quite satisfying.
As for the emperor, she did not intend to put that man in mind. With how the novel ended, his behavior did not come as a surprise to her. It was just funny how bold the head maid was as though there was nothing wrong with her words.
Just from this alone, she could tell how much influence the empress had on the head maid, and also the other servants in the imperial palace.
They must have taken a lot of advantage of her soft and powerless character.
''Apparently not, your majesty. Does your majesty intend to take a bath? This servant can call for the maids to draw the water.'' The head maid carefully chose her words. For some reason, she felt that she was treading on pointy nails with the empress.
Eyeing the serene countenance of the red-haired lady from the corner of her eyes, the head maid had a feeling that the empress was a little different from before. As for how and where, she couldn't quite put her fingers on it.
It was quite surprising for the empress to ask a question concerning the emperor. Normally, when she delivered words from the emperor, the empress would only smile in silence without a word. She was never one to question the acts of the emperor.
Despite her meek character, the head maid had always known that the empress was smarter than she looked. However, that kind of character might be suitable for a mere noble lady, but not for an empress, the wife of the emperor.
Someone as strong-willed as the queen was suitable for the emperor. The only challenge for the queen was her common background unless, the Grand duke's daughter wouldn't have been in the imperial palace as the empress today.
''No…taking a bath right now….quite early this empress must say.''
Once again, the head maid almost fell to the bare floor because of the empress. Quite early to take a bath? Does the empress know of the time right now?
It was some minutes past noon yet, the empress said it was early to take a bath?!
At the moment, the head maid stamped her guess about the empress. Something was definitely wrong with the empress as her acts and behavior were out of normal. She must report to the emperor and summon an imperial physician immediately for the empress!
''W-What of an imperial physician, your majesty? This servant advises that your majesty's body must be checked now that your majesty is awake,'' The head maid suggested, feeling that she could use this opportunity of health checkup to tell the imperial physician to check for brain damage on the empress.
'…Right…' The words from the head maid made Rose Kingston to realize that she just survived from a fall into the lake. That moment was also the time that her soul entered into the body of the empress.
As for how the empress drowned in a lake in the first place….let's just say the queen, the dearest first love of the emperor and the female lead, was not as innocent as the novel portrayed her to be.
''You may.'' Anyway, in the eyes of the others, she was a patient that survived from a near death experience. Even if she felt perfectly fine, it wouldn't be too bad to know about the health of the empress's body.
Rose did not know how much her words brightened up the expression of the head maid. She didn't even know that she was deemed as a patient with brain damage.
''This servant will call for the imperial physician, right away, your majesty.'' The head maid gave a quick yet respectful bow before turning around, about to step out of the room.
''Wait….this empress needs something…'' The unhurried voice of the empress stopped the head maid in her steps and she turned around back, waiting patiently for the empress's words.
''What does your majesty ask of this servant?''
''Tobacco…''
''…..Yes?'' The head maid had to blink twice to make sure that she wasn't in a state of illusion. Did the empress just mention tobacco? That horrendous plant that noble men inhaled from their smoking pipes? She hated such plant as the scent wasn't pleasing to her nose. Besides that, she had also heard from the imperial physician that inhaling too much wasn't good for the body.
What exactly did the empress want with such plant?
''Tobacco…'' Rose Kingston repeated, finally opening her eyes and tilting them to the stupefied head maid. ''Get some tobacco, head maid. This empress needs to smoke.''
Her words almost tripped the head maid to the bare floor.
>Enjoy!<