Book 3: Chapter 28 (1/2)
The empress frowned at the metal gates looming over her. Behind her, there was a road speckled with houses alongside of it. She scratched her head before knocking on the gates, the clanging of chains echoing through the air. A few moments of silence followed, the empress unmoving, her expression unchanging. Another moment of silence passed, and she drew her sword while slashing outwards at the same time. The chains holding the gates together fell to the ground, and the empress pushed her way into the courtyard of the mansion. “So troublesome,” she muttered as she walked up to the door of the mansion. With the hilt of her sword, she knocked on the wooden door, dull thumping sounds resounding through the air.
The door creaked open, a man dressed in a suit on the other side. “Do you have any idea what time it is? There are still a few hours before the sun starts to rise!”
“I’m looking for Grand Duchess Apollonia’s northernmost fortress,” the empress said. The butler hadn’t recognized her due to the cloak and lack of lighting. “Which way do I go?”
“The northernmost fortress?” The butler’s eyes narrowed into slits as he took a step back, reaching towards a decorative sword that was hanging on the wall. “Who are you? What business do you have there? You say you’re looking for the northernmost fortress, but you’re as far south as you could possibly be in the grand duchess’s lands. Any more and you’ll be in Duke Taver’s territory.”
“That’s odd,” the empress muttered while furrowing her brow. “I followed that hunter’s words perfectly except for a few diversions to eat. How did I end up even further south?” She raised her head, meeting the butler’s eyes. His hand was firmly wrapped around the hilt of the sword on the wall, just one motion needed to swing it at her. “Which way’s north?”
The butler pointed in the opposite direction that the empress had been traveling the whole time. “Why do you want to go to the northern fortress. It’s not a good place to go for a woman like yourself. If you need anything, shall I ask the grand duchess to provide it to you?”
“Ask the grand duchess?” the empress asked, tilting her head. “What do you mean?”
“Grand Duchess Apollonia is in her study at this very moment,” the butler said. “She hasn’t slept tonight, saying things needed to be done. If you’re nobility, shall I bring you to her? What is your family name?”
“Scathir.”
“Lady Sca—” The butler froze mid-sentence. “D-did you say … Scathir…?”
The empress nodded. “Yes.”
“Y-Your Imperial Majesty…?”
The empress nodded again. “Yes. That’s me.”
The butler’s hand slipped off of the decorative sword’s hilt as he dropped to his knees. He landed with a loud thunk, but he didn’t even notice the pain shooting into his legs. “Your Imperial Majesty, forgive this servant for not recognizing Your Imperial Majesty’s face! I’ll notify the grand duchess right away!”
The empress didn’t move as the butler scrambled away, falling down a few times as he ran down the hall and into the living room. She waited until he was out of sight before entering the mansion, making herself at home on a plush couch made of tiger fur. She clasped her hands and placed them onto her lap, waiting with stiff posture, not even bothering to look at the numerous paintings and decorations in the room. Her eyes closed as she fell into meditation, reviewing her sword strikes and stances in her mind.
A short while later, a flustered woman with golden hair, Apollonia, appeared by the stairs leading into the living room. She gripped the handrail while biting her lower lip, unsure of how to approach. In her moment of hesitation, the empress’ eyes opened, and she turned her head to face the grand duchess, the rest of her body remaining as still as a statue. “Apollonia, we meet again.”
“Weren’t you going to kill the devil, Your Imperial Majesty?” Apollonia asked, her voice shaky as she released her grip on the handrail and strode over to the couch across from the empress. She sat down and took in a deep breath.
“Yes,” the empress said. “I got lost and decided to ask the nearest noble for directions. Here I am.”
“Do you expect me to believe that?” Apollonia asked, clenching her fists.
“Yes.”
“You said you were going to my northernmost fortress to slay the devil that was summoned, but instead, you came down to the southernmost region of my territory and found my exact location,” Apollonia said as she ground her teeth. “I’ve lost. I’ve clearly underestimated you. No wonder why you surpassed all of your siblings to claim the throne.”
The empress tilted her head. “Does this mean you won’t tell me the way to the northernmost fortress?”
“…There’s no need to go there anymore after having found me, is there?”
“I told you I came to ask for directions.”