CH 148

Cecile blinked her eyes a few times in surprise and asked, “Did you see that just now? It’s shining.”

“Pardon? See what?” Tania asked, shaking her head gently.

“Was I seeing things?” Cecile frowned. She could’ve sworn that the emerald lying next to the Forest of Tetin, the jewel that had formerly housed Aled, had shined for a brief moment. Aled had once explained to the empress that jewels sparkled exceptionally brightly when spirits inhabited them. ‘Well, as if that would happen. There’s no way some other spirit is inhabiting it.’

“How about you put down the scepter?” Richard spoke up from behind. He was eyeing the regalia in Cecile’s hands with great interest.

“Are you mad? You were caught red-handed trying to touch it just this morning. And won’t you hold up your hands properly?” Cecile glared, hugging the regalia closer to her.

“This guy had his arms down for a while now! I saw it!” Girgantia cried out, piling on to the archmage.

“Won’t you be silent, whelp?” Richard grumbled, clicking his tongue at having been caught slacking.

Girgantia looked at Richard incredulously and swung his tail. The sound of a good thwack rang out in the storage room. The impact was enough to knock down the archmage kneeling next to him.

“Now look here, you seem to be forgetting that I’m a dragon, but—” Girgantia began, stepping on the archmage knocked over on the floor.

“What dragon gets dragged around leashed by a human girl! That’s called a puppy!”

Girgantia bared his teeth, growling, “Then how about you get gnawed on by that puppy.”

Unable to stand their bickering, Cecile whipped around and threatened, “Girgantia! Stop this instant, or there’ll be no fried chicken for you! And Richard, if you keep this up, then I’ll really send you to His Majesty!”

“N-no! You promised to give me lots of fried chicken legs!”

“You said you wouldn’t tell Estian!”

The two immediately cowered in front of the empress’s threats. Girgantia curled his tail and backed off, while Richard shot his arms back into the air again, but both didn’t forget to throw in a final jab at each other. Glaring at Richard, Girgantia mouthed “You’re really going to get it if you cross me,” while the archmage mouthed back, “Oh yeah? You really want a piece of me?”

Meanwhile, Tania shook her head watching the two of them, and quietly bemoaned, “So, this is the level the last dragon and archmage fights at.”

Seeing the two still quietly at their throats, Cecile sighed. “Anyway, we should tidy things up quickly and head back. I came here to help Irene, but at this rate, we’ll just end up creating more work.”

Cecile had come to the palace’s storage room intending to help the busy Irene, and somehow this unusual grouping had gathered together. Feeling pleased to be doing something for her new friend, she felt a sense of satisfaction. “This is what friends are for,” she murmured. She rolled the word in her mouth over and over. Friend. Friend. “What a beautiful word…”

“I was friends with Your Majesty first,” Tania pouted when she saw Cecile’s happy face.

“Of course, Tania’s first!” Cecile cajoled, hugging Tania by the shoulders with a laugh.

“Please make sure Lady Irene knows that I’m number one, and she’ll be number two forever,” Tania continued sternly.

“Al-alright.” Cecile felt a cold sweat break out at Tania’s stubborn insistence. Her handmaiden had been sticking to her side ever since Cecile broke the news that Lady Irene and her had decided to become friends.

Tania continued to pout when the empress showed a troubled look on her face. She hadn’t expected the two to grow close while she was off playing with Girgantia. She wanted to accompany Cecile when the empress went to give Yuliana or what’s-her-name what she deserved, but Tania held back because of the emperor’s strict orders to watch over Girgantia. How was she supposed to know that in her absence, Irene, an interloper that appeared out of nowhere, would take over managing the empress’s palace! And now she was keeping Her Majesty too! Suddenly, Irene was at the empress’s side from dawn till dusk. Tania was struck with a great sense of crisis!

‘I was first! I’m number one!’ she seethed inside. Tania was the empress’s first handmaiden, even if the position had been gained through offering a piece of jewelry and novels. That commemorative first place position was hers! Still, she felt that her standing was shaky at the moment.

Tania’s greatest asset was her strength. She was comforted that at least she could be in charge of protecting the empress, but then the archmage Richard, in the form of a young boy, was suddenly placed at her side. On top of that, Cecile was wearing the blue earring that was said to have the protection of the blue phoenix. There were too many powerful things at the empress’s side.