The heavy doors of the throne room closed behind Lin with a resounding thud. Each step she took down the corridor echoed in the silence, her assistant Arlen trailing a half-step behind her. The weight in her chest refused to subside Sylphina's hollow expression lingered in her mind.
Lin pressed her lips into a thin line, steeling herself against the ache in her heart. She hates me, doesn't she? And why wouldn't she? she thought bitterly. Still, she clung to the faint hope that she could change that. If she could manage Valeria's powers properly and navigate this twisted world, maybe she could avoid the worst outcomes. Maybe she could even protect Sylphina.
One step at a time, she reminded herself.
Arlen broke the silence. "Your Majesty, shall we proceed to the office? There's a great deal of work awaiting your attention."
Lin nodded curtly, hiding the dread that prickled at her skin. Together, they walked the labyrinthine halls of the imperial palace.
When they reached Valeria's office, Arlen opened the door and gestured for Lin to enter. The room was enormous and, like everything else in the palace, excessively ornate. Shelves lined the walls, filled with heavy tomes on history, magic, and governance. A grand desk sat at the center, its surface nearly invisible beneath piles of paperwork. The faint scent of ink and aged parchment filled the air.
Lin sighed, stepping inside and surveying the chaos. So this is what ruling an empire looks like, she thought grimly. Paperwork, paperwork, and more paperwork.
She approached the desk, her movements measured, and Arlen hurried to pull out her chair with practiced precision. She sat, and he placed a pair of sleek, silver-rimmed reading glasses before her.
Arlen leaned against the edge of the desk, arms crossed. His dark eyes sparkled with amusement. "Your Majesty, I must say, you handled the throne room proceedings masterfully. Though…" He smirked, his expression almost playful. "…it is a shame you didn't execute anyone this time."
The blood drained from Lin's face, but she forced her expression to remain neutral. Arlen's smile widened, as if relishing her discomfort.
What kind of person was Valeria, for this to be normal behavior? Lin thought, suppressing a shudder. Instead of reacting, she picked up the first stack of papers on the desk and began reading, letting the work draw her attention away from Arlen's unsettling grin.
The documents were requests from the citizens of the empire requests for aid, for protection, for justice. As Lin sifted through the papers, she began to piece together a picture of the empire Valeria ruled.
This was the Kingdom of Eldryn, a vast and powerful land renowned for its magic academies, knightly orders, and guilds. Mages and knights were ranked by skill, from novice to the legendary SS-rank a rank that only Valeria had achieved. According to the memories Lin had gleaned, not even the hero of this world had managed to reach such heights, capping out at S-rank in the original novel.
But power alone wasn't enough to keep Eldryn running smoothly.
One request detailed the plight of a rural village suffering from a poor harvest. Another pleaded for aid in treating a sickness that had spread in a mining town. A third asked for funds to rebuild a bridge destroyed by recent storms.
Lin frowned. These were legitimate problems, and they seemed solvable if handled carefully.
Then she came across a different sort of request one from a noble demanding the confiscation of farmland from a group of peasants. The reasoning? The peasants' land bordered his estate, and he found their presence "unsightly."
Lin scowled, crumpling the paper and tossing it aside.
Arlen raised an eyebrow. "Not in the mood to entertain the whims of the nobility today, Your Majesty?"
Lin's voice was sharp. "No. And if they have a problem with it, they can come to me directly."
Arlen chuckled, his tone laced with mock admiration. "How bold of you, as always."
Ignoring him, Lin returned to the stack of papers.
As she worked, patterns began to emerge. Some of the empire's problems seemed to stem not from external threats but from internal corruption. The finances, for instance, didn't quite add up.
The reports showed a troubling disparity funds earmarked for certain projects, like road repairs or school expansions, seemed to have vanished. Lin narrowed her eyes, scanning the numbers.
"Arlen," she said, tapping the report.
He leaned over, glancing at the document.
"Look at this," she continued. "Someone's been skimming from the treasury. I want to know who."
Arlen smiled faintly, as if amused by her sudden diligence. "I'll assign someone to investigate. But be cautious, Your Majesty. Digging into matters like this often reveals unpleasant truths."
Lin shot him a sidelong glance. "Unpleasant for who?"
He didn't answer, merely inclining his head and stepping back.
As the hours passed, Lin worked her way through the mountain of paperwork. Occasionally, servants entered the office, bearing trays of tea and light snacks. They moved quickly and avoided her gaze, their fear palpable.
Lin tried not to let it bother her, but it was difficult. She wanted to reassure them, to tell them she wasn't the monster they thought she was. But that was impossible. Not now.
Her only option was to let her actions speak for her. If she could make thoughtful decisions, if she could steer the empire away from Valeria's legacy of terror, maybe she could start to change things.
One step at a time.
She adjusted her glasses and reached for the next document.