"What are you doing?" a woman wearing a red-black dress asked while holding a sword stabbed on her chest.
"We no longer need some people like you. you will all just be a treat to His Majesty reigns."
"H-he ordered you to do this?"
Another sword was stabbed on her stomach from her back. Blood is everywhere.
"How dare you!"
"Ah!" I woke up screaming. I saw the Emperor sitting in front of me.
"You're awake," he said. His hand is up, looks like he's about to touch me. "You slept for two days after that incident in the forest."
Right. I almost forgot about it. I'm already in an extravagant room. I can smell the lavender scent everywhere, even the fabric that is caressing my body is too soft.
"What about Ariel? Where is she?" I asked in panic, I just want to confirm that I'm not dreaming on that day. If she's true or not.
"She's outside, in her room." He replied, he looked relieved. He closed his eyes and put his one hand to support his head. "You make us all worried, how can you make a pact on that kind of creature?"
"Creature?" The door slammed, I saw Ariel entering the room. She's in her human form and from what I can remember, she's wearing a beautiful dress. "How can an arrogant person like you be an Emperor?"
"I did you a favor, creature. " Eryx replied without having to open his eyes. "You will work for my State Guards as their eye and you can stay here."
"I can stay here, my master is here." she answered and got on my bed then hug my right arm.
"She's not staying here for free, so you are."
"Then she'll pay for my stay here."
"I doubt she can pay it. "
"Of course, she can. I will grant her some gold eggs."
"What?" I asked, facing her. "You can produce gold eggs?"
"Firebirds can produce gold eggs if they are sad." The Emperor replied instead. "This is why your kind is hiding from humans. They will take advantage of you and your ability to produce what they desire."
Ariel looked at me and nodded. "T-that's right."
"Then, she really needs to stay here." I said, I look at the Emperor. I am expecting him to open his eyes. I want to see that perfect color of his eyes. Wait what? Why would I like his eyes? I must be really out of my mind.
Then to my surprise, the Emperor opened his eyes. He looks at me as if it's just the two of us in this room.
"Before you flirt with each other…"
"We're not flirting!" I said instantly. I heard His Majesty smirked beside me but I didn't dare to look at him again. "Can we keep her here?"
"Only if she's willing to be part of the State Guards," he said. "But first get her out your bed."
Ariel get off my bed and stood in front of the Emperor without even a slightest awkwardness on her action. "If I will join your troops then I would like to serve Lady Valeraine only and will help them if necessary. "
"Deal."
"I want to have a supply of food, a bed, and a room."
"We can arrange that."
"Then deal." Ariel said and offered her hands on the Emperor.
"That won't work on me. If I touch you, that will burn my hand." he replied.
Ariel looked shocked about it. "H-how did you do that?"
"Get out of this room, I will speak to your master alone."
Ariel looked at me so I smiled at her. "Okay, I'll be outside. Just don't flirt too much."
"I said we were not flirting!" I denied once again.
The door slammed again, I'm starting to be worried about his life. She's not even respecting the Emperor.
"I know what you're thinking, originally. Her kind is above me. I couldn't ask her to behave in front of me, since I couldn't also act like I respect her." The Emperor said sitting in the chair again beside my bed.
"What will happen to her? Everyone in your guards that day, even Lord Arzael saw our pact."
"They know what to do. If they fear me, they will fear you too, especially now that you have a mythical beast on your side."
That's kind of assuring to hear.
"But let me remind you, if that firebird dies you will share the same fate as her because of the pact. Are you even aware of it? "
I'm not.
"Of course you don't." His mood changed again from calm to worried. I can't believe that an Emperor can act like this. "Your personal maid, Eleanor, is waiting outside to serve you. She will stay here as long as you wish."
How did he know that I also want Eleanor here? Probably my parents told him.
"I'm thankful for that, Your Majesty. " I said. He stood up and placed a small envelope in my bed.
What is this?
"It's an invitation."
I opened it only to see the name of the Empress Consort. She's holding a grand banquet for the wife of the Emperor.
"You should prepare tomorrow. This is most likely a plot between her and the Grand Duke. We need to act naturally." He said. "You can still take a rest, I have so many things to do."
Is he still gonna work even though he looks tired and sleepless?
"You shouldn't have fainted then," he replied angrily.
What? What's his problem?
He just gave me an angry look before he marched out of my room.
Eryx POV
"Your Majesty, " it was Arzael's voice so I didn't stop walking and just waited for him to catch up with me.
"What?"
"You're finally here so it means that Lady Valeraine is awake already." he said, sounding like teasing. "Did you two have a great talk?"
"Stop teasing her on me. You know she's not my cup of tea."
When we reached my office, he opened the door for me. "I'm still fascinated that you can use her to eliminate the Empress Consort. She's a beauty suited for the seat of an Empress."
I checked the papers on my desk trying not to pay attention to him. I have no time to talk back to him. I'd spent my two days waiting for that woman to wake up just because I'm afraid that my plan will fall.
After not paying attention to him, he leaves the room.
Lady Valeraine is a beautiful woman, that's obvious. But everyone in this country has a beautiful place like that, I just want to like someone who's not afraid to tell what's on their mind. Someone who will help me, scold me, get mad at me because that's really their personality.
I don't like someone who just thinks, and won't do it anyway.
I can hear people's minds. To be specific, I can hear the thoughts of good people. I can tell if a person is good because I can hear them. This is why I know that the Grand Duke Bastian and his son, Rydell, aren't good people at all.
Lady Valeraine and her family are good people. This is why I suggested that I will pretend that she's my empress for a while just to take down the Grand Duke plans and ruin the Empress Consort.
Bad people often speak without hesitation unlike good people. That's why I hate good people, they are easy to manipulate. People like them can't rule a nation. This is why I can't be a good person.
Good people are weak, bad people are strong. And I have no intention to be weak.