Scoundrel

"Your Highness Yun, you truly cannot go in! If you were to be seen…" 

"Ha, and if I am seen, what then? We are all women, and besides, I have no qualms; she is just some wild girl from who knows where—what is there that cannot be seen?" 

"But…" 

"Emily, block her!" 

As she spoke, the grand doors were pushed open by a hand, revealing a palace-clad woman with a hint of anger in her expression, glaring at the attendant who followed closely behind her, before turning back and striding into the hall. 

The maid, looking anxious, was about to follow when another maid reached out to stop her, smiling, "...You wouldn't want to offend our lady, would you?" 

The maid froze for a moment, hesitating as she glanced into the hall, "But…" 

The Emperor had specifically instructed before leaving yesterday that if anything were to happen to the person inside, she would certainly face dire consequences. 

"What do you mean 'but'? Could our lady not protect you, a mere maid?" The other maid scoffed, "If you offend the lady, I imagine you wouldn't want to contemplate the consequences." 

Upon hearing this, the maid bit her lip, hesitating for a while before silently following the maid with the mocking expression out of the hall.

The sounds from outside gradually faded away. 

Inside the hall remained only Lu, who had been there all along, and the extravagantly dressed woman who had barged in without regard. 

The steam rising from the heated pool enveloped the entire hall in a hazy hue, obscuring the view. 

The woman surveyed the opulent bathing pool, which was far superior to the makeshift one constructed in the hall a few years prior, her gaze darkening. 

…This woman truly knew how to indulge herself; she had petitioned the Emperor several times for the privilege to access this place, yet had been denied. 

She had deliberately chosen to come during the Emperor's morning court session. 

With such thoughts, Princess Yun's anger intensified. Her charming peach blossom eyes swept disdainfully around the hall before finally settling on Lu, who sat calmly by the pool, momentarily taken aback. 

She then furrowed her brow, snorted lightly, and haughtily inquired, "Are you the one the Emperor brought back?" 

It was indeed difficult to find fault with her appearance; no wonder she had managed to captivate the Emperor… 

Yet, the color of her hair and eyes… 

Princess Yun delicately held a silk handkerchief to half of her exquisite face and cast a fleeting glance at the girl, who remained seated and seemed unconcerned about rising to pay her respects. A smile curled on her lips as she remarked, "Oh, so you are indeed the one brought in from outside, and you don't even know to show proper etiquette." 

"Upon meeting me—considering the Emperor's favor, I shall spare you the need to kneel. However… simply sitting there, isn't that rather inappropriate?" 

"Or do you foreigners, upon entering our territory, require reminders about local customs?" 

Lu, puzzled by the extravagantly adorned Princess Yun, exchanged glances with her, contemplating the woman's peculiar behavior. After a moment of hesitation, she graciously replied, "What would you like me to do?" 

Princess Yun had no intention of creating an outright confrontation; instead, she smiled sweetly, "What I mean is, I would like you to rise, and I shall take the trouble to personally instruct you in some manners." 

"Manners?" Lu tilted her head, her expression slightly bemused as she regarded her, "Here?" 

Although this human had a thick layer of something on her face that detracted from her beauty… she had assumed this person was fundamentally normal. 

Little did she know, she was dealing with a… peculiar individual who enjoyed teaching etiquette in a bathing pool? 

Princess Yun's smile faltered, "...Is that not acceptable?" 

Oh no, how could she have forgotten that she had barged into the bathing area? 

Yet the words had already escaped her lips. This was quite embarrassing! 

"...Oh, I intend to bathe, so please wait a moment." Lu slowly turned her head away, her clear blue eyes fixed on the steaming water, and she stifled a small yawn. 

Last night, she had merely soaked her tail in a small wooden tub— 

She had been excited to come here early in the morning, thinking that Sebastian had mentioned there was a large pool available for her use… only to find it was hot. 

…So tired. 

"You!" Princess Yun glared in displeasure, "I am still speaking to you!!" 

Even if she had misspoken, the girl shouldn't be so dismissive! 

She had come to confront her!! 

"Um… you're saying, I'm listening," Lu mumbled, her head drooping as she blinked her damp eyelashes, heavy with steam, beginning to doze off. 

"You're talking nonsense! You aren't even listening to me!" Princess Yun's peach blossom eyes reddened with anger as she stomped her foot. 

"Look, I'm happy to listen, but if you're not inclined to speak… can't you step outside and let me bathe?" Lu lazily glanced at her, her expression neutral. 

Yet this left Princess Yun momentarily speechless, "...Why should I care what you do? I won't leave!!" 

"But what are you doing here? Do you want to join me in the pool?" The little mermaid sighed and yawned again, utterly perplexed by the intentions of this unfamiliar human. 

Although they appeared to share the same gender for the time being, were humans truly this open-minded? 

…Moreover, even without her fish tail, she wouldn't want to bathe with this person, hmph. 

"Who wants to bathe with you?!" Princess Yun exploded in fury, "How can you, a foreigner, be so

"Who would want to bathe with you?!" Princess Yun exclaimed in a fury, "How can you, a foreigner, be so self-absorbed?!" 

"Moreover, this place is reserved for the empresses of past dynasties. What right do you have to use it?!" 

Lu was taken aback, then raised her eyes to meet Princess Yun's gaze, her blue eyes widening in confusion. "Empresses of past dynasties?" 

Does that mean queens? 

So this human had actually married a queen? More than one, even? 

Lu pressed her lips together, never having anticipated that Sebastian, who had told her there were no empresses, could have possibly divorced one— 

Let alone multiple! 

What does "multiple" even mean? It implies many, many! 

This is simply… utterly despicable! 

Princess Yun was momentarily stunned by the fury that flashed across Lu's face, and as she opened her mouth to continue, the sound of measured footsteps approached from outside the hall. 

"…What right? The right I granted you. Is Princess Yun satisfied?" Sebastian strolled into the hall, observing the tense standoff between the two women with a cold smirk. 

"I was unaware that the Yining Palace had become a place where anyone could freely enter."