There was a time when I had desperately wanted to be recognized as a good daughter. But the Emperor had never treated me as family; I was merely a useful asset that shared his blood.
I offered him a soft, bitter smile.
*For a girl he once considered useless, I must seem like a godsend now.*
Despite his coldness, my father had one weakness I could exploit: his possessiveness. He viewed those of his bloodline as his personal property, extensions of his own authority. I knew exactly how to play the role of the dutiful daughter to keep him on my side.
“It is a great honor to receive my father’s praise,” I said, emphasizing the title.
The Emperor let out a short, surprised laugh at the word “Father.” It was the first time I had used it in years.
“It’s been a long time since you’ve done anything so extraordinary,” he admitted. “I must reward you. If there is anything you desire, speak it now.”
I smiled, my eyes bright with a simulated joy. “There is something I need, though perhaps it’s a bit premature.”
“Tell me.”
“I require gold—a significant sum—and several pieces of the royal treasure. I would like the funds transferred to a pseudonymous account at the Imperial Bank for... ease of use.”
The Emperor paused, his gaze searching. I knew I held the advantage. He had offered a reward as a sign of his grace, but in truth, he had no choice but to listen if he wanted the information I possessed.
“Very well. I will send someone to arrange it immediately.”
He had given me a generous dowry when I married, but that was for the "Duchess of Brant." This was for me. *This will be my survival fund,* I thought.
As the gold was promised, the tea suddenly tasted far sweeter. *His Majesty will live for another eight years,* I reminded myself. *Until then, Damian and I must live safely beneath his shadow.*
The Emperor rose from his seat a few minutes later. “I must leave. Reinhardt is waiting for my report.”
I stood and offered a deep bow. “Thank you for your time, Father. May the protection of the Great Founder be with you until we meet again.”
It was a standard parting, but the Emperor paused at the door, glancing back. “See that you are careful on your journey home.”
I watched him go, my thoughts already drifting to the peach pies on the table. They were rare this time of year, and I fully intended to finish every bite before I left.
But I never got the chance.
“Duchess of Brant, Her Majesty the Empress awaits you in the Inner Palace.”
I looked at the Empress’s maid of honor, my brow furrowing in irritation. I had hoped to slip away unnoticed, but it seemed my mother was determined to have her say.
The sun was already beginning to dip toward the horizon. If I returned to the estate too late, Eric would undoubtedly suspect I had been plotting within the palace walls.
*This is going to be a headache,* I thought. *But I can't simply ignore a summons from the Empress.*
“Lead the way,” I said, my voice resigned.
***
Back at the Brant estate, Eric was staring at his pocket watch, his expression like granite. It was five o’clock.
*She’s late.*
She had left for the Imperial Palace early that morning, and while she usually returned by mid-afternoon, the hours were slipping away. He knew she was accompanied by four knights, including Janet, but the delay was gnawing at his nerves.
*Nothing should have happened. No one in the capital would dare touch her.*
Yet, the silence of the house felt heavy.
A knock at his office door pulled him from his thoughts. “Your Excellency, it’s Zeno.”
“Enter.”
Zeno, his primary administrative assistant who had taken over the butler’s duties following Randon’s demotion, stepped into the room. He handed a stack of papers to the Duke.
“These are the final documents from the Marquis of Arguin. He’s pushing for a signature before the week is out.”
Eric looked at the contract, a cynical smile touching his lips. “He’s quite eager to lock this in, isn't he?”
The Marquis’s desire for an exclusive jade contract was transparent. He wanted a monopoly on the highest quality stones in the Empire. He was promising a price above the current market, but the five-year term was the real prize.
“Sir...?” Zeno prompted when Eric didn't immediately sign.
“We’ll proceed with the signing tomorrow,” Eric said, dismissing the assistant.
Suddenly, a white hawk soared through the open window, landing on Eric’s desk. He immediately recognized it as Janet’s messenger. He untied the small scroll from the bird’s leg and read the short, urgent message.
*[The Duchess has been invited to the Inner Palace by the Empress and Lady Arguin.]*
Eric’s grip on the contract tightened, then he tossed the papers into the fireplace. He watched as the Marquis’s proposal was swallowed by the flames.
Zeno gasped. “Your Excellency? Where are you going?”
“The Information Syndicate,” Eric said, his voice cold as he grabbed his cloak.
“The Syndicate? But why now?”
“I have business with the Marquis of Arguin before any contracts are signed.” He looked at Zeno. “See that the estate is secured.”
***
The Empress’s Palace was a study in marble and gold, a space designed to intimidate. As a child, I had always felt a wave of fear whenever I crossed its threshold.
“Why are you so late!” the Empress shrieked the moment I entered.
I ignored her, my gaze shifting to the woman sitting beside her. “I assumed this was a private audience. I didn't realize there would be... uninvited guests.”
The Empress’s face contorted. “How dare you! Madeleine is your cousin. To speak of her so rudely in my presence is an insult to us both.”
“I find it far more rude for a cousin to whisper about me behind my back,” I replied coolly.
“Cornelia, please,” Madeleine said, stepping in with a soft, saintly smile. “I don’t know what has caused this misunderstanding, but if my presence makes you uncomfortable, I will leave.”
I watched her with a mixture of disgust and boredom. Even now, she was playing the martyr. The maids watching us were undoubtedly already preparing to spread word of my "cruelty" to the "saintly Lady Arguin."
*Let them talk. If the rebellion happens as it did before, half of these people won't be around to gossip in a few years anyway.*
“Lady Arguin,” I said, my voice carrying the weight of my title. “Regardless of our relation, this is the Imperial Palace. I would appreciate it if you maintained proper formalities when addressing a Duchess of the Empire.”
Madeleine’s face flushed a deep, humiliated red. She wasn't used to me pulling rank—not when I had spent years desperately trying to be her friend. She stood and bowed stiffly before retreating from the room.
Status, it seemed, was the only thing these people truly respected.
I turned back to the Empress and took a seat without waiting for an invitation. “What is it you wanted to discuss, Your Majesty?”
The Empress looked as if she were about to burst with rage, but she clearly had a purpose that required my cooperation.
“I want you to sell your eastern estates to Franz,” she said, cutting straight to the point. “For a million gold.”
“A million gold?” I echoed.
“Yes. You’re his sister; you should be happy to help him secure his future. Besides, you live in the Brant estate now. You have no need for those lands, and a million gold is a more than fair price.”
I stared at her, nearly laughing. She wanted me to sell a vast territory—one that would later become a strategic trade hub—to my pampered younger brother for a fraction of its value.
*Do any of you have a single shred of a conscience?*