CHAPTER 5: PALACE OF PROBLEMS

As soon as the carriage entered the gates of the imperial Palace, Astheir felt like an amateur model who just entered her first audition. Her heart pounding like a horse out of control. Her face contorting as she gazed at the road with full of nobles with their servants.

I feel like hell.

The carriage stopped at that cue, Astheir instantly knew that she is now finally at the doorstep of the hell called imperial Palace. Though how the names may sound grandeur and amazing, Astheir knew that it was just another kind of battlefield with no swords and blood but rather words and pride.

Astheir waited before the carriage the door was opened. She was not surprised anymore as soon as he met Yuigi, the emperor's left hand man.

"I greet her majesty, " Yuigi slightly bowed down. Astheir's eyes widened from what he just called her! Her majesty?! She's not even yet married to the emperor! "The emperor has asked you to come straight away to his office, your majesty. "

"I see. " She got out of the carriage and followed Yuigi.

Just a she suspected, the Palace was nothing more than a den of flies. As she strode towards where the office of the emperor is, she and Yuigi encountered a parade of nobles, some ignoring about her but most talking about her.

"Ha. Am I really going to live here? " Astheir murmured. She almost rolled her eyes from all the words she geared about her.

'Ha? Is that really our future empress?!'

'How could his majesty choose such a shabby woman? '

'I heard she is that daughter of that Duke who went missing twelve years ago. '

'Really? She certainly does not look like the Duke. '

Astheir, if not for the battle field she will fight with the emperor, she could have gone straight to those shameless nobles to correct them, but no. She have to prepare. Technically, her mission starts today. Although, she does not know what her first move is but it's pretty clear who have to decide that.

Who else is there to decide? Just the emperor.

"Your majesty, her majesty is here. "

Yuigi opened the door and there appeared the emperor sitting on a table with a full wide smirk on his face. Astheir couldn't help but to feel that she's entered some kind of illegal transaction with the emperor urging her to sell her organs to make money.

"You're here. " The emperor, Adrien, greeted her. "You may leave us alone now, Yuigi. "

"I greet his majesty, the sun and hero of this empire. "Astheir bowed down and greeted. He was waiting for him to accept it but seconds passed yet she heard nothing. Her eyes went to the emperor and he saw her looking at her intently. " Your majesty...? "

"You've grown, " Is what he said. Astheir's forehead crinkled at the sudden comment. "Years ago, you were just that meek girl who couldn't even say a word to people who disrespect you. "

"Yes... " Astheir didn't know where this was coming from but she does remember who she was years ago. In fact, she is surprised that Adrien, whom is the emperor now, can still remember that.

Years ago, the 14 year old Adrein whom she was engaged with at the age of eight was what you call a snob, arrogant, and cold . He was the person who think his time is not worth to waste for her, the girl who killed her mother. Because of that, they didn't have that much interaction besides formal events.

"But that's already in the past. I changed and everyone changed. Everything is now but a stranger to me. Shall we discuss our plan, your majesty? "

"How cold. " Adrien said with a slight smirk plastered on his face.

Astheir ignored and proceeded to sit in front of him. "So when did this all began? "

"It was two years after you disappeared. Everyone thought that it was just a normal hoards of monsters attacking some random villages but the number of times it happened did not make sense. " He said. "We've sent out subjugation teams everyday to clear out nesting monsters but no matter what, the number of times of attack caused by monsters did not decrease. In fact, it kept increasing at faster rates. "

Astheir gulped. 2 years after she left this world...?

"We've suspected that there might be a calamity or such. But the church did not foretold this and the gods did not sent his messenger to guide us. That's when this magician of unknown origins declared that it was you who caused this. "

W-what...?! So they believe right away that it was because of me?!

"The magician led me and my father to the realms of the borders of the world. He showed us the huge hole. He said that it was you who travelled the world that left this. And this was causing the sudden rising of monsters. "

"W-who was that magician? " I asked.

"He did not tell. He simply said that his mission is to help you. " Adrien shrugged. "But because you arrived just now, we're expecting only 1 to 2 years before our empire gets destroyed. "

"WHAT?! "

"So hurry, my empress. Save us. "

"No. No. Is this how you ought to handle this?! Just leave me with everything?! " She stood up and slammed the table. "You got to be kidding me!! "

"Why not? In fact, it was not me but you who caused this disaster, was it not? " Adrien said as if he still washing his hands off this case.

Is he actually serious?!

"What do I start with? No. No. You got to help me! " I frantically shouted. "Damn it! If you're going to left me with this huge of a problem, you shouldn't have forced me to be your empress! Atleast, with that, I can move around freely! "

Suddenly, he laughed. "No way! That can't be. That position should be your shackles if you ever sometime wish to escape—"

"And that problem wasn't enough? "I angrily shouted.

"From me.... " He finished his sentence. Astheir looked at him dumbfounded. From him... Huh?!! "I do not want you justshackled by this world, Astheir. I want you shackled to me too. "

"W-what... ? "

"And besides, I was just kidding with me not helping you. I shall help you seek that magician. "He stood up. " Now, shall I guide you go to our bedroom? "

"... "