Chapter 6 The Imperial Majesties

• Marigold’s Point of View
• I don’t know how many times I’ve secretly pinched myself while staring at the well-built Emperor of the Altos Empire standing in front of the closed door of my chamber.
• His brows were furrowed, as if I were a stranger in his eyes—well, that’s actually true.
• What is he doing here? Didn’t I already tell Lady Celara not to let anyone enter my room?!
• “Your lady-in-waiting informed me that Your Majesty had awakened and was… well. Yet it appears that is not entirely the case, Empress. Are you still feeling unwell?” he asked, puzzled.
• “I… um… I was just—cleaning things… you know… making sure everything’s in order!” I stammered, flustered.
• The Emperor tilted his head slightly, but I couldn’t miss the amusement in his eyes.
• “Well, that is certainly a… rather unique method, Your Majesty. Is this truly how an Empress is expected to… clean up?” he asked, his gaze sweeping across the room.
• I squeezed my eyes shut, knowing full well that the room wasn’t really clean since I had just finished rummaging through Empress Faenys’ things—anything that might help me feel less clueless during this time.
• Some drawers were left open, as were the doors to the walk-in closet and bathroom. A few ancient beauty products rolled across the floor, and some clothes I had carelessly left lay scattered around.
• I had gotten too comfortable and completely forgotten that the Empress is married!
• “Hmm, very clean, Your Majesty. I shall instruct the servants to continue with the task, as it is, after all, their duty,” the Emperor said, though the sarcasm in his voice was unmistakable.
• I straightened up and swallowed hard before speaking. “W-What are you doing here, Your Majesty?” I asked.
• The Emperor raised an eyebrow but didn’t speak right away. He sat down on the messy sofa, his eyes still watching me closely.
• “How are you feeling, Faenys?” he asked.
• I didn’t know why, but a shiver ran down my spine, and my heart raced as I stared into the Emperor’s pale blue eyes.
• What’s happening to me? Is this… the Empress Faenys’ feelings?!
• I cleared my throat. “I feel better now, Your Majesty. Thank you for asking, and… don’t worry.”
• Earlier, I had only seen amusement in his eyes, but now it spread across his entire face. He was smirking as if I were some kind of entertainment for him.
• “Interesting,” he murmured, though I still heard it clearly in the quiet room. “The Royal Physician made no mention that this might be a side effect of the medicine Your Majesty was given while unconscious.”
• I looked at him, confused. “What side effect, Your Majesty?”
• He shook his head lightly. “Hmm, nothing. The Royal Physician informed me that Your Majesty had overexerted yourself while preparing for the festival. Were you aware of this?”
• I nodded. “Yes, Your Majesty. Lady Celara told me.”
• “The Silver Hearts Festival is fast approaching, specifically one week away. The entire Altos Empire is counting on it,” he said seriously.
• “I’m completely aware, Your Majesty,” I lied.
• Of course I don’t know what’s happening!
• “Good. Several noble houses from the western territories will be attending the Silver Hearts Masquerade Ball, so ensure that they are properly received and entertained. I have also received reports that trouble may arise, as the bandit who infiltrated Imperial territory has yet to be apprehended. See to it that security is exceptionally tight on the day of the festivities. I will not tolerate any incident within the Imperial Palace.”
• I didn’t know what to say after the Emperor spoke. It’s only now that I truly realize the weight of an Empress’s responsibilities. Is this why Faenys chose to run away from her duties?
• The Silver Hearts Festival isn’t just like the Valentine’s Day we celebrate in the future—it can be observed even without much preparation. But the Silver Hearts Festival carries much more weight and symbolism in the Altos Empire.
• It symbolizes devotion, loyalty, and the strength of the empire.
• Gosh, this is too much to handle, but I can’t just run away and leave the responsibilities that Faenys has passed on to me.
• The festival will be my first major project, and I have to do my best even if I have no clue what I’m doing—just to survive.
• After he went over the other important details and concerns about the upcoming festival, he stood up. I thought he was leaving, finally… but then, just before he passed me, he spoke.
• “Try not to overexert yourself again. The Empire needs its Empress…” he said. “And perhaps, if I may suggest, refrain from… throwing any more tantrums upon the bed, Your Majesty,” he added, smirking devilishly, before finally exiting my room.
• I literally froze.
• He saw that?!
• My face heated up like I’d been doused in boiling water.
• “Okay, breathe, Marigold. This is Faenys’ life now, not yours. Think like her. Don’t act like… yourself,” I whispered to myself as I inhaled and exhaled.
• After calming down, I continued searching through Faenys’ belongings, but this time I also started cleaning up the mess I had made.
• Suddenly, the lipstick I’d been holding decided to make a break for it. I watched it roll directly under the huge, heavy, ridiculously ornate four-post bed frame.
• “Of course,” I muttered, crossing my arms. “Because my life isn’t complicated enough,” I added sarcastically.
• I took a deep breath and knelt on the rug, the rough material scraping my knees. I had to lean down, my face almost touching the cold floor, to see into the darkness under the bed.
• I couldn’t even see the lipstick. It was too dark under there.
• “You have got to be kidding me,” I groaned, lying almost flat on my stomach now. I reached my arm as far as I could, my fingers brushing against… nothing.
• Faenys might be Empress, but her servants clearly weren’t sweeping under here.
• I wiggled my hand, my frustration growing by the second. My dress was definitely getting dirty. I was sweaty, tired, and just wanted to go back to our own messy house because of my younger brother, Monroe.
• My fingertips finally hit something solid.
• “Got you,” I whispered. I started to pull my hand back, but as I grabbed the lipstick, my knuckles knocked against something else. Something larger.
• I frowned, straining my arm just a little further. It was a box.
• “What do we have here?” I muttered, momentarily forgetting all about the lipstick.
• When I finally reached the lipstick, I also grabbed the black box with a red ribbon. I didn’t even care that my head was almost hitting the underside of the bed.
• After completely pulling the box out, I sat on top of the bed. Before opening it, I examined the box.
• “Nothing’s going to pop out of here, like a snake or something… right?” I muttered.
• There were no labels or notes on the box at all. Its texture was matte and completely black. The ribbon looked like satin, but thicker and of much higher quality.
• I took a deep breath before finally opening it. The moment I lifted the lid, a huge pile of envelopes—clearly letters—almost burst out of the box.
• I even gasped when some of them fell onto the floor because there were just so many inside.
• No one told me the Empress had another profession. Turns out she’s a messenger too, eh?
• I set the box down on the bed before picking up one envelope. Judging by the texture of the seal, it didn’t seem that old—probably about a week? I’m not sure.
• The first thing I noticed when I opened the letter was how beautiful the handwriting was. The strokes of black ink were clean against the yellow paper. There were no smudges between the neatly written cursive letters.
• I quietly read what was written, and as I went on, my jaw slowly dropped.
• “…I have loved you for longer than I have borne the title of Empress, and I believe I shall continue to love you long after I have laid that title aside. Forgive me, if you can, Leopold. With all my love, Faenys,” I read from the final part of the long letter.
• What the? So the Empress really loves the Emperor?!