The Queen's Palace in the Clariant Empire
"Mother, what are we going to do? The Blood Guild, who had amazing mercenaries, failed at their first attempt!" Abella noted, biting her nails, her eyes wide and her breathing uneven.
Her expression twisted, and if anyone were to see her right now, they would never believe Abella was capable of showing such a vicious look on her face.
After all, she was referred to as the light of the Empire.
"You look unsightly! Abella, remember your status!" Lowena, the Queen, rebuked, and Abella immediately straightened her back as her expression relaxed and she stopped biting her thumb.
"Sorry, Mother..." she mumbled with her head lowered. Lowena walked towards the couch and sat across from Abella. She picked one of the cookies from the pantry and picked up her tea from the table.
She moved with such grace that Abella pouted with jealousy. Lowena crossed her legs and began to eat, and not even a crumb from the cookie stained her lips or clothes.
"You shouldn't be worried about trivial things, princess." She started, her voice smooth to the ears like a gentle caress. "God is not one to forsake his people. If evil is meant to perish, then it would tremble and beg for its dear life."
A wicked smirk graced her lips. She talked as if she were referring to God as a loyal believer of the church. But if someone else heard what she said, they would get the hint immediately.
Abella sat there, confused, her brows bunched together as she waited for her mother to explain.
"Gosh, you are so dumb, Abella. Sometimes, I wonder who you took such brains from."
***
Peach Blossom Alley
[Master! Please wake up!]
Crucifix panicked in Meliora's mind as he observed the four burly men surrounding his master.
"She is so ugly. Why would she come to Peach Blossom Alley?" they whispered among themselves as they observed her.
Meliora remained unconscious.
"Do you think we hit her too hard?" one of the men with long, wavy hair suddenly asked, his face filled with dread as he watched Meliora in horror.
Another guy extended one of his fingers underneath her nose and was relieved to find Meliora still breathing.
"She is still breathing," the fatter one announced, and they all breathed a sigh of relief. Meliora's brows twitched as soon as their fishy breaths hit her nose.
"Her brows just twitched!" the shorter one exclaimed as he pointed at her brows. Meliora's eyes fluttered open with a frown on her face.
"Why do you guys have to breathe on someone's face? It stinks so bad," she muttered under her breath as she coughed. Meliora had not realized her situation because she was still trying to get used to the light and her surroundings.
"Hey!" they all yelled, and Meliora jolted up.
[Now, you just had to make them angry.]
Meliora could feel Crucifix face-palming himself as if he had a physical body, but he didn't. She glanced at all four men who glared at her with pure rage and gulped.
"Hey fellas, how are you doing?" She waved with a weak smile, and it didn't even take a second for them to tie her to a chair, no matter how much she thrashed around and squealed for help.
No one came to her rescue.
"This is Peach Blossom Alley. No one would hear you," the fatter one scowled at her, and Meliora widened her eyes.
'Stupid robot, you didn't tell me this!' She cursed internally as she gave up struggling and lowered her head.
[They are not going to do anything to you.]
Crucifix stated, and it only made her blood boil. A vein pulsed against her forehead, and she felt like dismantling this robot.
[I am afraid... Master. You can't dismantle me in this life.]
He boasted. Meliora released a sharp gasp in disbelief after hearing that. The blue screen flashed before her eyes to show eyes and a mouth. Meliora wanted to scream, but Crucifix winked at her, and she tightened her fist.
[Hear them out, Master. If they wanted to kill you, I would have known first. So you are in safe hands.]
Crucifix coerced, and Meliora had no choice but to believe him because none of his advice had ever been worse. Since she started playing the game, she never listened to his advice and ended up dying multiple times.
Meliora decided that it would be best to rely on Crucifix now.
"So, why did you come to Peach Blossom Alley?" the one who looked rational questioned her, his icy glare rendering Meliora speechless.
[Tell him you are looking for Asharte.]
"I am looking for Asharte," Meliora repeated Crucifix's words sternly, her facial expression not giving way to the fear gnawing at her insides.
They all exchanged confused glances before the rational one looked at her again.
"Why are you looking for her?" he prodded, his gaze intense this time as if he were searching for any expression on Meliora's face that would give way to her lie.
Meliora bit down on her lower lips, feeling quite conflicted. She didn't think they would know Asharte, her nanny. Could she trust them to keep the secret that the abandoned princess came here?
Her heart thudded like crazy against her ribcage, and her back was soaked with fear.
[Tell them, and watch.]
'Ahhhh!' Meliora screamed internally at Crucifix's vague answer.
"I am the abandoned princess of this Empire, Meliora Livia Delacroix," she declared, her gaze darkening as the words flowed out of her lips with so much power.
They all fixed their eyes on her. Though they were surprised, they didn't show it. Instead, their brows were bunched up together as if this case was a serious one.
I mean, it was serious, but they didn't have to be overdramatic.
"Pfft." The short one scoffed in disbelief. "How do you expect us to believe that the King would never send his precious daughter to the imperial city?" He burst out laughing while slapping his knee.
He expected others to laugh with him, but it died down when he realized the others were not laughing too. He coughed awkwardly and waited for Meliora to say something.
"My father would never care for someone as ugly and useless as me. Remember, he left me in the West Palace till my 18th birthday. Not once have I been celebrated, and I am now 21 and have been cast aside. Is it wrong to look for one more family?" Meliora squeaked as if at any moment she would burst into tears.
The other three men snarled at the shorter one, and he rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment. Everyone knew the circumstances of Meliora, but they dared not speak about it or question it.
Meliora was doing a perfect job of faking her tears, her head lowered and her shoulders trembling so much that anyone would think she was crying.
"I am sorry. Please don't cry!" The shorter one rushed to Meliora and, without touching her, waved his hands, urging her to stop crying. Her fake cries intensified, and the shorter one, devastated, turned to the other guys and pleaded for mercy.
"Okay, we know where she is. Now stop crying!" The stern one commanded. Meliora whipped her head up immediately, her eyes bright and there was not even one appearance of tears on her face.
"In return, what are you going to give us?" the fatter one asked. The burly one elbowed his bloated tummy, making him cave in, his face contorted in pain.
Meliora turned her face to the other side so she could prevent herself from seeing any blood. She pondered what the fatty said.
'What should I possibly give them that would be okay?' She pondered in a low hum and suddenly exclaimed, her eyes brightened as she searched the wooden floors for her pouch.
When she laid eyes on it, her smile widened. "I have 50 gold coins in my pouch. You can take it," she told them, but they just looked at her lazily.
They didn't even move to take the money and continued to observe her. She tilted her head to the side. If they didn't want money, what exactly did they want?
[Give them something they don't know about.]
Crucifix advised, which made Meliora ponder more. Something they didn't know about... hmm?
"Aha!" She exclaimed, her blood pumping in excitement. "Let's play a game of Monopoly!"