Chapter 7 Royal Library

• Marigold’s Point of View
• My consciousness was already awake even before the sun rose on the horizon. The entire palace was still dark and quiet. I think it was only around three in the morning if I will base it in the future. I wasn’t sure, since there weren’t any clocks here.
• I woke up early because I needed to search for information about this time period.
• Step one to survive in this century was to stop being clueless. Step two was to learn everything about this empire before someone noticed that I didn’t know anything.
• I hadn’t finished reading the three books about the Altos Empire that I borrowed from Mrs. Calle, so there was still a lot I didn’t know. To fill that gap, I needed to do some research. And in order to do that, I had to go to the place that had helped me since I was young—the library.
• I was only wearing a simple black-and-red dress that I found in Faenys’ closet. The Empress’s clothes were far too extravagant, and none of the designs were the same. It was obvious that every gown and corset had been carefully crafted, which made it difficult to find something comfortable to wear. Of course, I couldn’t just walk around the palace in my sleepwear.
• The moment I stepped out of my chamber, I was immediately greeted by the quiet, dim corridor, lit only by the lanterns mounted on the walls. There were no guards stationed outside my door because I had ordered that as well.
• I took a deep breath. “This palace is huge… how did Faenys survive here without getting lost?” I asked myself.
• That was also one of the reasons I had decided to wake up early—not just to start reading sooner, but because I knew I would probably get lost in this place. If I searched for the library once it was already bright outside, too many people might notice me, since most of the servants would already be awake.
• I straightened my posture when I saw a royal guard on patrol. He immediately stopped walking and bowed in front of me as a sign of respect.
• “Good morning, Your Majesty…” he greeted politely, though the surprise in his voice was obvious. Perhaps he wasn’t used to seeing me this early.
• “Good morning…” I replied before continuing to walk.
• I passed a few more royal guards on patrol and some servants who were going to the stables near the training grounds to feed the horses. All of them showed the same tension, surprise, and fear when they saw me.
• “Where could it be?” I muttered to myself. I’d been walking for almost half an hour, but I still hadn’t managed to find the royal library.
• When no one was around, my steps quickened so I could reach the library faster. But whenever I ran into royal guards or servants, I slowed my pace, walking as if I were a dignified Empress.
• I took a deep breath and placed my hands on my waist as I scanned the eleventh hallway I had turned into. I felt like I was in a maze, trying to find my way back.
• “Gosh, I didn’t expect it to be this hard,” I murmured.
• I was about to turn back and return to my chamber to continue reading Faenys’ letters to the Emperor, but I froze when a door suddenly opened at my side.
• A teenage woman servant stepped out, carrying a book that she was trying to hide under her uniform.
• The moment she saw me, her eyes went wide. “Y-Your Imperial Majesty?” she stammered nervously.
• “What’s that?” I asked, trying to sound calm.
• She quickly took out the book from her dress uniform and immediately knelt in front of me, repeatedly apologizing.
• I furrowed my brow but ignored her actions. Instead, I picked up the book she had placed down and read the title.
• “See You in the Future by E.C.,” I read aloud. I looked at her. “What’s your name?”
• She slowly lifted her gaze to me. Tears welled in her eyes, and her hands were trembling.
• “I-I am Unan Fhoam, Your Majesty. I am but a humble servant of the Imperial Palace. Please forgive my insolence. I merely wished to read that book, nothing more. I swear it shall not happen again, Your Majesty. Please… I beg you, do not punish me,” she said, tears quietly streaming down her face.
• My heart ached as I looked at her pleading posture. Her crying made no sound, as if she were deliberately trying not to offend me.
• I sat down so that our faces were level. Slowly, I held her chin so that her eyes met mine. I could feel her body stiffen at my touch.
• “How old are you?” I asked softly.
• She quickly looked away. “S-Sixteen years of age, Your Majesty,” she replied.
• Sixteen.
• She was the same age as my brother Monroe, yet it was clear this girl had already endured a lot, judging by the scars on her face and the fresh wound near her left eyebrow.
• Palace life was not easy. One small mistake could mean punishment—or worse, death. At this time, people had no freedom to make choices for themselves.
• In the Altos Empire, when girls reached fifteen, they were required to come to the palace to participate in evaluations to become official palace servants. If a girl was chosen, her family was rewarded with a substantial sum of money in exchange for her lifelong service and loyalty to the palace.
• Because of this, many families continued to have children, hoping for daughters to send to the palace in exchange for money.
• I ran my fingers through her brown hair, gently tousling it. I could see her eyes shut and her body stiffen at my touch.
• “Here. You can borrow it, Unan,” I said, handing her the book.
• “R-Really, Your Majesty? You will not… reprimand me or punish me?” she asked.
• I shook my head. “Nope. How could I stop an innocent girl like you who just wants to learn?” I said. “Knowledge is the only weapon we have in everything—remember that.”
• She stared at the book in her hands, her fingers still twitching with a lingering tremor. She didn't smile yet—instead, she looked at me with a profound sense of disbelief, as if waiting for me to laugh and take the book back.
• “I-I’ll never forget that, Your Majesty.”
• “This stays between us, okay? Don’t tell anyone I talk to you like this,” I whispered.
• Unan furrowed her brow. “Why not, Your Majesty? Would it not be better for them to know that their Imperial Empress is truly a kind and merciful sovereign?”
• I shook my head and lightly tapped her shoulder. “If they find out I’m kind, they won’t fear me anymore. I don’t want that. So this is just our secret, alright? If you tell anyone, I’ll report you to the Emperor,” I said, pointing at the book she was holding with my lips.
• Fear immediately registered in her eyes, and she nodded repeatedly. “I do pledge, Your Majesty. None shall know.”
• I smiled. “Very good.”
• Unan’s brow knit together in a fresh wave of anxiety. She gripped the book tighter against her chest.
• “Very… good?” she repeated, her voice small. She looked as though she were mentally scrambling to figure out if she had offended me again by not knowing the phrase.
• I chuckled. “Never mind that. Just do this—come to my chamber today at twelve noon. I have something to tell you. Don’t be late, okay?” I instructed.
• I was about to walk toward the she had come from, certain it led to the library, when she spoke again, so I turned back.
• “Twelve noon? What is that, Your Majesty?”
• Ah, of course! They didn’t have clocks here—the only way to tell time was by the sun and the ringing of the bell coming from Altos Time Square.
• “When the bell rings for the third time, go to my chamber,” I said.
• Her face lit up with a wide smile. “I will, Your Majesty.”
• As soon as I finally stepped inside the royal library, my shoulders immediately slumped. My back was already aching from standing straight for so long, and I was exhausted from all that walking—only to find out the library was right here!
• I felt goosebumps rise on my arms as I looked around the vast library, filled with ancient books. At that moment, it felt like I was standing inside the Library of Congress because of the overwhelming number of books surrounding me.
• “Am I in heaven?” I couldn’t help but whisper.
• My heart was beating so fast, and I could feel excitement rushing through my veins. It might sound dramatic, but that’s exactly how I felt.
• Out of pure excitement, I took off my shoes and ran toward the center of the library, spinning around like a child. For a moment, I completely forgot the real reason I had come here.
• Looks like I’ll be coming here a lot. Maybe I should just ask to return to the future once I’ve finished reading every book in this place.
• “Careful, Marigold. If anyone walks in, they might think the Empress has finally lost her mind…”
• My feet stopped moving on their own the moment I heard that familiar voice. I looked around—and there she was, standing beside a bookshelf while holding a familiar book.
• My eyes widened the moment I realized who she was.
• “Mrs. Edith Calle?!”