CH 121

Cecile couldn’t tell for the life of her why ‘melancholic beauty’ was a necessity, but she gave up trying to comprehend his logic and continued reading. “And when addressing you, I should address you as ‘my night canary‘ because your anguished cries can be heard throughout the night, as you’re subjected to the empress’s unsatisfied secret desires— Hey! Are you insane!” Cecile sprang to her feet, crumpled the paper, and hurled it at Richard.

“Why are you so upset? Isn’t this the most suitable setting for a handsome slave boy?” Richard asked, catching the paper wad with a look of puzzlement. “Besides, aren’t you supposed to play up the image of a wild and uncontrollable villainess? That’s what I heard from the emperor. If so, you should at least do this much.”

‘Is… is that how it is?’ Cecile was almost led astray by Richard’s fallacious logic before she snapped to her senses. “There should be other roles to pick!” She shook her head, reminding herself not to be fooled.

“Why? I thought this to be a rather fitting setting for you too.”

“This stupid mage! What do you take me as!” Cecile grabbed Richard and shook him by the collar. “Since it’s not your business, you think you can just get away with whatever? Is that it? Why in the world would I need all this! I don’t harbor any secret desires! There’s absolutely none I tell you! And, what the heck is ‘my night canary‘! Don’t cry at night and just go to sleep!”

“Well, why don’t you concoct a better story for why the empress is keeping a handsome boy by her side all day long then!” Richard quipped.

“Can’t we just say I’m keeping you out of pity?” Cecile implored.

“A lazy setting like that is no good. We need something that tickles the primitive imagination of people. Humans are inherently captivated by trashiness.”

“I said that’s not necessary!” Just how far was this batty mage bent on warping her image? Admittedly, she would have to act like a crazy villainess in Estian’s absence, but that didn’t mean she had to stoop to this level! She would much rather play fast and loose with the crown jewels! Amid shaking Richard, Cecile spotted an item out of the corner of her eye that startled her into halting. “Hang on. Why is a whip here?”

“I thought it might be needed. You know, role-wise. I took the liberty of bringing the one used for Girgantia.”

* * *

“Is somebody talking about me? Why are my ears itching so much?” Girgantia muttered to himself, scratching at his ears. He was enjoying a meal of fried chicken in his newly assigned room in the imperial palace. Next to him sat Tania, who was cupping her chin and frowning. “Why do you have such a foul expression? You’re not even bothering to eat your chicken. If you don’t want any more then I’ll—”

“Freeze. Put your hands down,” Tania growled.

The dragon clicked his tongue. Girgantia had attempted to sneak a chicken leg from her plate, thinking that Tania was too preoccupied to notice. He grumbled under his breath, but returned the piece back to where he’d swiped it from.

Tania ignored the dragon’s mutterings, as she stared down at the letter in her hand. In all the chaos resulting from Girgantia’s appearance, Tania had forgotten about the letter from her mother. The message was short—it warned Tania to return home or face death. She had ignored her mother’s call, but had yet to receive any word from her parents. The silence made her anxious. It was the same type of nervousness as when her homework was incomplete but she hadn’t yet been found out.

‘Why hasn’t she come? There’s no way mom would’ve let me off. What in tarnation could’ve happened?’ Tania hadn’t received any word of incidents from back home. Was the lack of contact related to her mother’s personal circumstances? Surely her mother wouldn’t burn Tania’s name off the family tree, would she? Impossible. Tania was their only daughter, after all. Still, on second thought… if it was her mother, then it wasn’t an impossibility.

Amid her brooding, Tania suddenly felt something was amiss. “By the way, where’s my whip?” She wondered aloud, as she glanced around the room.

“How should I know. Didn’t you put it away?” Girgantia shrugged.

* * *

“Will you put that whip away, gosh darn it!” Cecile yelled exasperatedly.

“What are you talking about? Go on, give it a swing already. You need to break it in,” Richard said, teleporting the whip into Cecile’s hand. “Oh! Would it be more fitting if I loosen some of my buttons? Or should I just take off my top? I think it’d be a great idea to wear a collar around my neck too!”

“What the heck are you trying to pose as?” Cecile rubbed her temples. A headache was forming from seeing Richard enthusiastically losing himself in his delusions.

“Come now, take a swing! Don’t be afraid of new challenges!” Richard cried out. He was acting like a passionate physical education teacher.

“I said I’m not doing it!” Cecile retorted. “Enough! Would you please put on your clothes properly? Do it this instant! Irene will be arriving soon. What will she think if she sees this?”

“Shall I take off my pants too?” Richard continued, ignoring Cecile’s pleas.

“Will you please listen!” In her frustration, Cecile lashed the air with the whip, but her lack of skill and strength resulted in her being dragged by the momentum of the whip and tumbling forward. “Aaagh!”

It was at that specific moment that the door flung open, and her attendants ran in. “Your Majesty, are you alri— Goodness!”

The scene unfolding before the attendants was that of the empress straddling a young boy, whip in one hand while gripping the collar of his shirt in the other. The innocent expression on the young boy’s face as he lay under the empress in a state of half undress, coupled with his tears, was enough to elicit sympathy from everyone. While everyone looked on in horror, in that moment Cecile made a silent vow—she would absolutely ask His Majesty to murder Richard when he returned.