Damn Your Lies | ONC 2024 Finalist ✓

𖣔 ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ sɪx 𖣔

No one said anything for a long time. I wondered if I had said everything in my head. Before I could make another attempt at embarrassing myself, the Emperor chuckled softly.

"I see. I'll grant you some maids and servants. I'll also send a personal escort so that my General doesn't get reduced to a knight." He smiled. But I saw that it wasn't because he perceived this whole situation as amusing.

It was because he was plotting something. I saw how his eyes narrowed and his smile turned to a smirk, arrogance dripping from every pore of his body.

This is bad! I shouldn't have said anything!

"I hope you'll take part in Merasia, Consort Regina. I'll look forward to how you'll entertain me." His dark chuckles sent a shiver down my spine. I simply bowed. He and Catherine passed by us, and I wasn't sure if I heard a low "interesting" coming out of the Emperor's mouth.

No. That was impossible. I hadn't even done anything. My reader's instinct told me that interesting wasn't a good line. But I was sure I had imagined it.

And I had more important things to think about.

"General, what's Merasia?" I asked. If I already had a good intel source, why not take the advantage while I still had the privilege of a non-existent memory loss?

I wasn't sure if I saw a slight concern in General's eyes. Maybe it was pity.

"Merasia is the traditional three days long festival that takes place in Xeneth after it becomes an Empire. Even though Xeneth has become an Empire after a century, the Emperor had ordered it to be a one day celebrated and this time, it is going to be simply for the Emperor's amusement. They are organizing games for the consorts to participate in."

This was pure horror. Games? Don't tell me it's fencing or some poetry recitation.

"Do you have any...idea about what those games are?" I pried for more information.

If I was not wrong, that information should be-

"Confidential. I'm afraid I do not know much." He smiled politely.

Damn it!

"I won't impose on you any further, General. I'll take my leave. May the blessings of Goddess Sana be with you!" I bowed and took leave. I didn't bother to see if he reciprocated the good will. I simply hurried to my room.

I knew I couldn't expect any more information from him. I had to find out the rest on my own.

Unfortunately, the people who showed up in the morning as my servants and maids were all mutes. No, they weren't disabled in some dramatic tongue-cutting moment for betrayals. They were all the ones who minded their own business. Or maybe not.

Maybe they had been sent to observe me all day long and report suspicious moments.

Cool.

Very first thing in the morning, the personal attendants dressed me into something gorgeous and normal like other consorts. I was expected to pretend that I wasn't ever neglected with such treatment. The royal blue gown shouldn't have gone well with my silver hair, but I guess they were all well trained.

It was fit and flare kind of gown with full sleeves and I could use the gown to sweep the floor. The cloth clung to me like a second skin. The backless dress was covered with a jeweler that draped over my back like curtains. Through they were chains of diamonds linked together layer after layer. They put a minimalistic choker and earrings that were also used to pin my hair like hair jeweler. My hair was up in a neat bun pinned with some floral metallic head piece. They used the ancient cosmetics more expertly than I had the previous night. And all in all, the whole look was elegant. It was neither modest nor flashy. I was glad that I had at least one day for the Merasia. My sole consolation was the twenty-four hours I had in hand.

I quickly made my way to the Imperial library followed by my escort, Sir Maximus. There were a lot of consorts that I had seen the previous night and many whom I couldn't remember in the library. They stopped whatever they were doing to look at me and then suddenly flapped their fans and hided their faces. To gossip of course. Deja vu?

These ladies were no different than the public audience who were super enthusiastic about juicy gossip. These people had no ambition. But considering the time I was living in; they were definitely at the highest position a woman of average class could get. Gossip was most probably the only source of entertainment for them. I ignored them and went straight to the shelves that had thousands of volumes of books. And then I realized the biggest loophole in my whole plan.

Who in this world could help me find out the books I need? Not to mention, complete them all by tomorrow.

I slapped my forehead at my dumb move. I looked around. There was probably no consort who would help me. I turned to Sir Maximus. But changed my mind. He was a knight. We wouldn't use Imperial Library. We wouldn't know what I wanted to find. I had no option but to talk with a consort.

"Aren't you that one who did the First Greetings?" I heard behind me. I turned to see a navy-blue haired woman with royal blue eyes. She was wearing a maxi kind of gown, but it was made of expensive linen.

At least modern world of dealing with celebrities had given me an experience of knowing brands just by looking at clothes.

Elegance dripped from every pore of her body. And so did arrogance. But not as much as the Emperor. It was more prominent with him. She disguised her emotions well.

If her looks didn't tell me who she was, her calm demeanor definitely did.

"Greetings to the Lady of Elegance, Consort Eliza." I bowed.

"Please rise." She said. I wasn't sure of my feelings when she looked up and down at me. She looked at me as if I was a horse in an auction.

"Follow me." She said. She didn't ask me like it was a request or an order.

She said it like I had no other choice.

And I really didn't have any.

Word count: 1381