§Future Empress§

Getting to know you

"My...this is interesting. I want to meet him, mother" Izumi said.

"Oh so soon? You should make him wait a little else he will think you are desperate of the information and might give you wrong news so have patience." Inko advised her daughter. "That's clever. I will keep a note of that." Izumi said.

  "Anyways how are things between you and Shoto?" Inko asks informally. "We are nothing more than friends. He confessed to me but I rejected him." Izumi said as she sighed. "Oh...I respect your decision but why would you do that? What is wrong?" Inko asks calmly. Just a few days back Izumi was like a fawn in the territory of love but now she is rejecting men. 

"I just see him as a good friend. For me anything more than that is unpleasant. Sure he is a gentleman, a son of a duke and a good knight but I do not feel attracted to him" Izumi explained her reason. "So what type of men do you like? Surely someone can touch your heart in this big world!" Inko asked. "I never thought about my relationships with men. I was never interested in them even during the days of the academy... many young nobles tried to approach me but I rejected them." Izumi said. Inko was quite surprised after knowing this aspect of Izumi's academy days but maintained her composure.

"If that is the case, you must be waiting for your soulmate! I was just like you! It was as if your father was the only one for me!" Inko excitedly said. "A soulmate? How would I know if I have found my soulmate?" Izumi asked curiously. "Once you find your soulmate everyone else just disappears and for you they are your only world. Looking at them makes you feel happy and safe so much so even if you were to live in poor circumstances you will endure it if they are with you. You would have the purest connection with each other that even at the slightest touch your heart will beat faster and your face will become red. If this happens to you then you have found your soulmate" Inko explained in utmost thrill thinking about her youth with her late husband. "I am glad you were able to feel such a beautiful emotion in life. You and father must have been very close" Izumi said smiling.

 
Inko's smile turned upside down as she remembered Hisashi's death. Inko had eyes for no one except Hisashi. Since her academy days Hisashi was her reason to wake up early in the morning and go to the academy. Hisashi was Inko's reason to be happy and well.

  "Enough with all this soulmate talk...how is your new maid?" Inko asked as she wanted to lighten up the mood. "She is a great help. After all she passed the luck test" Izumi said as she smirked. "The Luck test? The one designed by you? I thought it was really difficult" Inko asked in astonishment. "It was difficult as the none poisonous chocolate was kept in the spot of my birthday grid. Not everyone knows that" Izumi chuckled.  "Could it be a pure coincidence? I mean it is the Luck test" Inko said. "Who knows? Maybe it's meant to happen" Izumi said. "Izumi...did you check for the spies?" Inko asked. "About that, my maid and her friend are spies" Inko was too stunned to speak. "I don't know what they want but they are from the kingdom of Alora. My maid is the Princess of Alora and her friend is her knight" Izumi plainly explained. Inko looked at Izumi's emotionless face when she talked about the Princess of Alora. It's a pity that their friendship ended abruptly. Izumi is probably upset about it for all these years. This made Inko remember her tragic friendship with her old friend Mitsuki who is now the queen of Alora. "Izumi do you not remember the princess of Alora?" Inko asked curiously. "I know who princess of Alora is but I am not sure whether do we have an informal relationship as princesses" Izumi said slightly disheartened by what she said. "I apologise to you Izumi, because of the kingdom's affairs your friendship broke..." Inko said sounding disappointed in herself. Izumi ignored her mother's apology and asked if she could be excused from the room.  Before leaving Izumi said, "Mother, could you please let me handle the spies? I do not want them to face your wrath just yet. I want to get to the bottom of their plan." Inko had no problems yet because her anxiety had not spiked this time. She rather thinks of it to be a blessing in diguise. "Sure Izumi, I will entrust this to you" Inko said. Izumi was slightly shocked by her mother's cool attitude but didn't think much of it yet. Inko dismissed her and Izumi got out of the office.

Outside the office

Katsumi was waiting eagerly for Izumi to come out. At last Izumi came out after an hour or so. "What are you doing here?" Izumi was surprised to see Katsumi outside the office. "Well your bath is ready princess. You should freshen up before you officially start your day" Katsumi said as she bowed. Izumi was still surprised by Katsumi's role. "Alright, let's go" Izumi said as she started to walk and Katsumi followed her. ^So this really is Katsumi...she kept her alias as Ruby. It's weird seeing her after so long and that too as my personal maid. It's weird but I love her company so much, but why? I don't remember much about our past...I hope her being here can fix me somewhere. Is she here to spy or finish me? That doesn't matter to me, as long as she is here with me, I can't ask for anything else ^ Izumi thought as she walked with Katsumi.

In Izumi's castle, her bedroom

Izumi felt lightened up after her bath. She happily sat down to paint. Katsumi entered the room to find some clues as she thought Izumi must still be in bath. Katsumi was surprised to see Izumi in the room. 

"No knocking Ruby? How very bold of you!" Izumi chuckled. Katsumi was embarrassed as she immediately bowed and said, "I am sorry princess...I will never do something like this ever!" Izumi laughed and asked her to not bow and come closer to her. Katsumi got closer as asked and Izumi stood up "It's alright, you can be bold with me~" Izumi whispered in Katsumi's ear which made Katsumi blush. "Oh my! You keep getting red! Are you sure it is not some sickness?" Izumi said slyly knowing full well that she made Katsumi blush. "It's alright princess..." Katsumi said as she fanned her face. "Well can I ask you to do something?" Izumi asked. "Of course you can princess!" Katsumi said. "Well for starters you should stop calling me princess and start calling me by my name" Izumi said. "Alright then...Izumi..what can I do for you?" Katsumi said and Izumi's eyes narrowed and she said, "How do you know my real name? Only other acquainted royal families and my childhood friends know it" Izumi asked sternly and Katsumi panicked and said, "I am sorry princess for eavesdropping in your conversation with Knight Shoto...I only heard him say your name! That's all..." Izumi was not buying that story but pretended to act stupid and said, "Oh well! I trust you so can you please stand and pose for me? I want to paint something but I have no...what do you say? Oh yeah! Reference! I have no reference...maybe I will feel motivated by your beauty!" Katsumi felt relieved but still felt like something was amiss but anyways she made a pose. "Not this more like...if you were holding someone in a ball dance! Or being held by someone, as you like!" Izumi said innocently but meant something else. Katsumi blushed and posed as if she was holding someone in between a dance routine.

"Oh my...you are so beautiful" Izumi said dreamingly.