DITOEFTV react to

Chapter 11

— IX

[ small council meeting ]

EARLY IN THE AFTERNOON

MEETING HALL

    'This should be interesting' thought Penelope, as Emily looked at her lady knowing what she was thinking.

TO SAY ANYONE  was expecting the Emperor, would be a lie; all the high rankers and ministers were well aware that the day after late Consort Diana's death anniversary was the day the Emperor never attended the meeting. And if he did, one would pray he did not for anger clouded by lack of popper rest made the Emperor perhaps the worst being to be around.

    'Pfft' Penelope and Reynold laughed in their head on how the nobles were very much cowards.

They gathered together anyway, if the Emperor happens to check on them in a flight of curiosity, to not give him any other reason for making the life of nobles more hellish than he already did.

    Penelope and Emily rolled their eyes at that statement, knowing some nobles will never survive as commoners.

"To think the Emperor would pay any mind to us after the Empress' arrival — her job was to coax him into listening to our word. But here she just sits in the council room silently, minding her own business and quipping in only when it comes to her area of administration" Marquess Thornton said.

    'Fools' thought Emily with a smirk

    The Duke huffed in annoyance at the comment of his daughter

A gruff scowl evaded the bearded features of the viscount beside him, who added in, huffing "she seems pretty useless to me, for hell's sake — ! she speaks to the Emperor less than we do!"

    'True' they all thought

Roger Alpheus on the other hand, simply sat in silence, pretending to read the journal that had arrived just yesterday on his order. He didn't feel the need to participate, for he of all people was well aware that the conceptions about the Empress were nothing but empty, but arguing with these men was nothing but empty, but arguing with these men was like teaching a pig etiquette, so he refrained from making a comment.

The chatter that continued was but a faint background noise for him, until it had subsided all too suddenly. Golden eyes of the Duke rise, to be met by the center of attention. There stands the Empress, radiant and cold as ever.

    'Should I take that as a compliment' Penelope thought but then decided to ignore it.

"Blessing be upon the moon of the Empire —" they all greeted in unison, acknowledged by a single nod as she stepped over to sit on the end of the table, on the Emperor's seat.

    'Why does this roll suit my lady...a little too well?' Emily thought while looking at her lady sitting on the throne with the atmosphere of pure authority.

"Please take a seat, my lords. The Emperor hasn't been in good spirits today, so he has appointed me as his replacement to lead the meeting today. I'm sure none of you would have a problem with that, so let's get started, shall we?"

Curt and cut to the point, her statement barely gave the men any space for objection. They all took their seats, knowing better than to speak against an arrangement ordered by his majesty himself.

    'This is going to be boring,' Penelope and Reynold thought at the same time.

"Your highness, the bill on monopolizing the mana stone trade, has his majesty said anything about the matter?" Count Roscente chimed in, backed by a few hums in the background.