"Wh-what do you mean, Your Imperial Highness?! What are you going to do?!"shout Ophelia as she entered my room, while I held a body on my hands.
It seemed frail; its blonde hair touched my alien knees.
"You just protect my body at all costs. No matter what happens, don't let anyone near my room. Close the curtains." I said, walking around the room, trying to keep my concentration.
"I...don't understand! Your Highness, this is going too far!"said my personal caretaker, my trusty maid, Ophelia.
"Look, Ophelia. You're the only one I can trust. This stays between us exclusively. If anyone asks anything, tell them I just need to stay alone for a while, anything to keep them away."I said, brushing my hair, checking my carnival mask.
It wouldn't take long for one to realise that I wasn't Vespertite Bernadotte. At least, I'm not looking like her.
"But...possessing the body of an assassin?! That's...!"she tried to say, but I held my hand up to force her to stay quiet.
"This is a vital operation concerning my plans, Ophelia. You have received your orders. Now, let your Mistress carry out the rest."I said, now turning at her way.
I was looking more...curvy now. It must be because the assassin is significantly older than me, at least two years ahead. Her skin was plump, and white. She seemed to be an Urg, judging by her injuries I inflicted on her, before taking control of her body.
I was dressed in her clothes, with the addition of a thicker cloak this time.
Her assassin's boots were all the way up to my knees, and black tights were under them. Additionally, my torso was vulgarly exposed, and I'm feeling uncomfortable with this much skin it shows. But, despite all this, it will be enough to effectively control my dear Anastasia.
"I'm leaving. Follow my orders obediently. If you don't, learn from now on that I don't need ill-disciplined servants."I said, walking past her. I opened a window behind the closed curtains, and stood outside my room, as the afternoon clouded sun was nearing its dawn. Darkness surrounded the land of Gelida.
I was standing 20 and many more floors high. The cold air nearly threw me off balance.
Ophelia looked at me one last time and closed the window, and curtains behind me. There was no turning back now. I concentrated, and with a flick of my cloak, I disappeared in the empty darkness.
In these few agonising seconds, I felt much turbulence in my short trip inside the in-between space of the Odos and reality.
When it ended, I opened my eyes, and naturally, I was in my destination. The city and providential capital of Gelida: "Eschata". I'm almost sure that the creator of the game I'm into, named the city after Alexander The Great's most northern outpost in Asia, "Alexandria Eschate".
Eschata meant "The Furthest" in Greek, and it is the biggest city in the Far North of the Empire's regions. I am its provincial governor, because I'm a Duchess, obviously. I am also in charge of the entirety of the land of Gelida. And this, is my first reform! It's going to be glorious! Oh, so majestic! Of course, it is going to be covered up, and nobody will say a word, but I will be the unopposed ruler of my land after this!
The cityscape was covered in what looked like a white veil from a distance. However, it was merely snow, quite common for the icy regions of the North.
Nobody was outside at this hour, especially in this district in the city. The nobles are all closed up inside their comfortable homes. Now, I just need to find where the mansion of the Ylvas is. This is particularly tricky cause they all look the same, but I think I can navigate.
I've been countless of times in this city in my past life, for the sole reason of obtaining a rare artefact. The game was cruel in its nature, so I needed to get as much overpowered as i could.
Just as I was thinking about from where I would find her mansion, I stumbled across a parked convoy of carriages outside a building fit for nobility; the crest of the Ylva family was marked in spectacular fashion on the gate of the mansion.
And here I thought that this would be challenging.
I hid behind a wall, observing the people entering the house. A constant influx of nobles, most of them associates of Anastasia Ylva herself. One sceptic would dismiss this gathering as a tea party or a hangout with friends of some sort.
However, I pretty much know why she hosted this particular event on her mansion. It is to commemorate the assassination of the Evil Princess, the black ship of the Imperial Family. A little bird told me everything I needed to know.
And that little bird, is currently me, the body of my assassin. A devious laugh managed to overcome me.
No, Vespertite, you shouldn't be laughing. Finish your mission. And then, I'm sure we will be all laughing together.
I swiftly left my cover and walked confidently at the entrance of the mansion.
Two guards, quite different from the standard Imperial soldier, presented their arms at me, blocking my way.
"Halt. State your name, unless you want to meet the tip of my spear."said the aggressive infantryman, shaken from my silent but straightforward uproach.
I presented my ticket inside. A cloth bag, with blood dripping from its bottom. I opened it for the guards to see.
The soldiers, shaken, took a step bag.
"I'm pretty sure your intellect has permitted you to understand that this is obviously a gift for your Mistress."
The soldiers looked at themselves, gulping.
"Let me in."I said, with my black lips glittering under the moonlight.
"What...have you done?"said the terrified soldier, reaching for his signalling trumpet.
"What? What are you doing?"i genuinely asked.
Wouldn't these soldiers know that a certain suspicious person carrying the dirty deeds of their Mistress would pass by today at night? Well, no problem. For everything, there is a solution.
I slowly let a dagger fall under my sleeves onto my palm, turned on the other side, hidden from the sight of the guards.
Just then, a hand touched my shoulder. I was petrified. Cold sweat showered the entirety of my body. I slowly turned my head, terrified in their direction.
I let my stoic mask crack for a second, but I composed myself merely a second after the shock. Whoever I saw, I made sure to make quick work of them.
Well, that wouldn't be needed, I guess.
"Preposterous! What are you doing, you halfwits?! Let this maiden join our jubilating times inside!"said the girl, just next to me.
Her hair was dark as the night, but the ends of those hair strands were gold blonde, just like an Urg. She flashed a smile at my direction, as the soldiers bowed at our way apologetically.
"W-we're incredibly sorry, Lady Sevaste! Please, head inside! The young lady is waiting for you in anticipation!"said the once aggressive soldier, lifting their spears, letting their spears.
Artemisia scoffed at the guards, and we passed inside the mansion shrouded in darkness, unopposed.
I stole a glance at her.
"Thank you, Noria. Oh, sorry, I mean Artemisia."I said, smiling under the darkness.
"It is nothing, Your Highness. Please, after you."she said, opening the big door in front of me, leading to the inside of the mansion of the Ylva's.
The whole place was packed.
Many young maidens my age, were walking around and around, talking to themselves and chuckling, others playing with instruments, others drinking tea, all of them forming many different human "wells", circling around one another.
I am inside. From behind me, Artemisia closed the door, and allowed me to take the lead, walking in the front.
Almost immediately, the room froze upon our entry inside the Ballroom.
From the crowd, emerged Anastasia, her head and nose arrogantly above all else. She seemed pretty confident in her plan sending an assassin my way, thinking this will be enough to take me out.
I reinforced my façade by kneeling down upon her presence, always with a smirk on my face.
"My lady..."I said, bowing my head down at her.
"Good..."she whispered my way, and turned her head, addressing the crowd.
"People of the Empire! I have invited you today in my humble home, to commemorate something truly special."she said, walking in the front of the room.
"Something special", was it? Oh yeah, it really is special, my dear...just you wait.
"The previous week, I have been orchestrating the liberation of Gelida from the tyranny that has befallen us! An ill omen indeed! Its name? Bernadotte Vespertite, the Evil Princess of Longnor!"shout with pathos my heated adversary.
"And, from our latest guest, I can say with great pleasure, that I have reached the end goal; my mission, has been successful. Just now, I have received confirmation of the Princess' death. You should see it too, oh yes, you should!"said Anastasia, letting me stand up.
I walked next to her, holding the bloody bag on my hand.
"Show them, our advocate of justice! Let it feast upon our eyes the spectacle, worth seeing a thousand times!"said Anastasia, raising her hands dramatically, as I slowly showed the young nobles my accomplishment.
I dropped the "gift" on the floor and let it roll. It was a severed head. A girl screamed at the sight, and some passed out due to the macabre sight.
Anastasia walked to the decapitated head, and grabbed it by its hair.
"Ah. It's so beautiful, I might as well put it on the fireplace."she said, unaware of what will happen next.
Just then, the yellow strands of hair started becoming shorter. The head of Vespertite started changing, moulding itself into another shape.
"Wh-what?"questioned the phenomenon Anastasia in terror. In some seconds, this terror managed to become true horror. A glimpse of Hell for Anastasia.
Now, the characteristics of the head didn't resemble that of mine. No more. They instead, perfectly mimicked Anastasia's appearance.
She screamed, and let the head roll down, with her taking a few steps back.
"What...is the meaning of this?!"she hysterically screamed at my way, pointing at me with her Surger.
"Oh, this? Nothing more but a...parting gift."I said, as the whole Ballroom pointed their Surgers at me.
"You traitor! How dare you! How long have you stood by the Malevolent Princess' side, eh?!"the braver girls circled around me with their Surgers, barking at me.
Even Artemisia pointed her Surger at me.
I raised an eyebrow, taking out my heavy robe.
"You dare mock me, assassin?! You're nothing but a puny little servant of mine! Who cares if you're an Urg! You're unter the wing of Aristea, Her Highness herself! Wait till you present yourself before her!"said Anastasia.
"So, talk! Talk, or I'll need to torture you before your Mistress does! But know that I can be...forgiving! If you tell me what happened, I might...not include what happened to Aristea. So, talk, if you wish both of our heads to stay at their places."she said, equally aggressive and terrified at the same time.
It was then that I started cracking up. I couldn't control it. I just couldn't. I bested my back backwards, not able to keep my façade straight and stoic.
Anastasia looked at me, unnerved. They all look pretty shaken up. It's not everyday you hear such a satanic laugh, especially after such an unpredictable event.
Suddenly, I stopped. Silence engulfed the entirety of the room. I slowly raised my arm in the air.
"You thought you could prevail, didn't you, Anastasia?"I said, with a devious smile forming on my mouth.
It didn't take it long for her to realize.
"Ve-vespertite! It's the Devil! It's Vespertite!"cried out Anastasia, at the last possible moment, taking a few steps backwards.
"Now!"I shout dropping my arm with fury, as from the the balconies of the Ballroom, from the second open floor, revealed themselves dozens of hooded individuals encircling the entire room.
"Artemisia! What are you doing?! Shoot her! Shoot her, before she kills us all!"shout Anastasia, as the hooded individuals pointed their Surgers menacingly at the nobles inside the Ylva household.
Artemisia cracked a smile at Anastasia, before showing her the Surger, aiming at her instead of me.
"What?! Impossible!"she said, losing her balance, falling to the ground.
"And...checkmate!"I said, smiling at Anastasia.
"Did you really think that you'd get away with a coup, my dear Anastasia? As it looks, you really thought so!"I said, walking closer to her.
"Vesperite! You'll...regret this!"said Anastasia, still paralysed from fear.
"In the afterlife, maybe. I guess I'll see you there then!"I said, menacingly, turning my head the other way, nodding at Artemisia.
"W-wait! Where you going?!"shout desperately, like a half-dead animal, oh the poor traitor.
Artemisia nodded at me again, reassuring me. I walked away.
"Alright, girls! Wrap this up! Umbrington?!"said Artemisia, as I walked away.
One of the girls of my class, walked in front of the balcony, revealing her face. A girl with oval glasses and black hair, wrapped in two twin braids, went in first.
With a black light emanating from her Surger, she simply uttered: "Bam."
"N-no-!"cried out the nobles in the room. Suddenly, as the lights died out, dead silence took engulfed the night.
The area smelled of smoke and blood.
Just behind me, as I walked outside the mansion, formed squads of hooded girls, after their hunt.
My Syndicate has been put into motion, and it is fully operational. And I just used it, to suppress a coup of ambitious, but foolish nobles.
Emerging from my shadow -quite literally- Artemisia walked by my side.
"Operation successful, Your Imperial Highness."said with a smile Artemisia.
"They were just a bunch of amateurs!"said a hot-blooded girl from behind, energetic as ever.
"Good work. Take care of the bodies. Clean this mess up. And don't let this incident leak."I ordered to the group walking with me.
"Yes, Your Highness!"said the girls, returning to their duties.
This ought to send a clear message to my sister; nobody dares to toy with me, no one dares to stand against me, and most importantly, no one is safe from me. Not even a high-standing noble such as Ylva.
I guess I am pretty evil, after all. That doesn't make me much different from my sister. But I am doing this for my own justice. For my country and its people. And of course, for my personal pleasure.
It is nice having a whole playground of toys to play with; and this is only the start. Especially since I'm practically untouchable.
My Syndicate, formed just a few weeks ago. My influence, grown immensely in a single night.
My enemies, butchered in the span of a few minutes.
One step closer to me becoming the Divine Empress.
Brick by brick, I'm going to build my way up to the throne of the Imperial Palace...even if that means that i have to use my adversaries' heads as stepping stones to attain victory.
"Glory to the Empire!"said my zealous followers, dispersing into the room.
"How do you feel, Your Highness?"said Artemisia, just before the exit.
I looked at her, with one of my trademark devilish smiles shot at her way.
"Perfect."