The pawn's second life

Chapter 5 - Saintess

After listening to Valentina say that, Vercil got visibly upset.

Valentina - Hey, what happened? Why do you look upset?

Vercil - I- because I can't stop the marriage between that imbec-uhm-I-mean-emperor and sister

Valentina - Please don't make such a slip of tongue infront of others else we'll have to loose our necks ( *Face palming* ) and don't be upset, it's my duty, it's not like we can stop it so it's not worthwhile to be upset over it. And I am ready to do anything required to prove our house's loyalty and help it. And it's not like political marriages are uncommon.

Vercil - But still I didn't want sister to go through a political marriage and even though she loves him dearly, he's not the someone who'd reciprocate such feelings and I don't want to see sister suffering because of it.

Valentina - Vercil, this, is the path I chose. Because I have plans and goals which I'll reveal someday.

Vercil - But everyone knows how big of a snake the emperor is. He is a perfect mix of a snake, tyrant and sometimes even a fool. Marrying someone like that is only going to make you suffer.

Valentina - If he's like that, then won't it be beneficial for us to enter the snake's nest and turn him into our puppet? The emperor only sees me as a pawn, a naive woman who's blindly in love with him, whom he can cast aside whenever he wants, thus as of now he has no reason to be cautious of me. But won't it be fun to see his agitated face upon unexpectedly giving rise to someone who can rival his authority by handing them such power? ( *Dominating smile* ). Especially if I gain the position of the empress dowager won't it increase my influence even more? Humans are simple creatures, and power is something that makes us crave for more of it, no matter how much we have.

Valentina - ( *Getting up and going towards the door to exit* ) Then I'll go now, I hope you can find a teacher for me, the sooner the better.

Vercil - But to be the empress dowager, you both will both have to be divorced and doesn't sister love his majesty?

Valentina - ( *Stopped* ) I don't even know how that talk of the town originated in the first place...

Vercil - Then is it just a rumour? Then why did sister say those things like "Letting go of the one she loves etc" infront of the emperor that day?

Valentina - All I did was just act a little according to that rumour, it was nice to see him acting all high thinking he has the upper hand. ( *Snickered* )

Vercil - Then if it's just a rumour why didn't you clear it later?

Valentina - ( *Half-turned towards him and gave a smile* ) Why should I clear something that's helping me achieve what I want?

Valentina turned back back and left the room, leaving Vercil completely shocked behind.

Vercil - Ha! I thought my sister was extremely innocent, but I guess even I was deceived. ( *Chuckled* )

•__________•.•.•.•.•.•.•__________•

Valentina was yet again off towards the imperial library to collect some more information in the afternoon.

She tried to take out the book that she was reading yesterday, but accidentally it fell from her hand and landed on the ground. She crouched to get it back but unexpectedly her eyes fell on a book that was shoved into the deeper end of the bottom of the shelf. She took out the book and dusting it a little bit, sat down to read the contents.

Valentina - " Secrets of the saintess~ ". I can't understand why it feels like the book has a certain power to attract the eye of readers. But what even is this? Some R-rated romance novel? Because the title sure sounds like that a little.