Coinquinatus (Tale of South Demosthan)

Chapter 4

Ruby Palace

"How dare that witch try to seduce His Majesty again?!" The woman who screamed was dressed in an extravagant pink dress. As she moved, her pair of ruby earrings dazzled showing off her status. There were also several jewels adorning her neck, fingers, and arms. Only a woman of high rank could wear this kind of opulent attire and jewelry.

"Does she think she's now superior to this Consort?" she declared, using the imperial pronoun "this Consort" to emphasize her position.

Her left hand once again crawled on top of the table and clutched onto something. Without hesitation, she launched it angrily and smashed it into the wall. The clear, crisp sound made by the shattered ornament frightened everyone even more. No one dared to move or talk inside the large bed-chamber.

Her long auburn hair was tied up in a stylish manner. If her amber eyes could speak, it'd shout in extreme jealousy and vexation. Her contorted pretty face was quite scary right now. It was as though she could kill someone at any moment. Terrified of becoming the target of her wrath, the servants, except for Freya, retreated to the far corners of the chamber, their eyes wide with fear.

Her hand, trembling with fury, grasped the next object within its reach. "Your Ladyship!" Freya exclaimed, rushing forward to prevent Imperial Consort Vanis from hurling the exquisite vase against the wall. The crafted vessel, adorned with intricate designs, was a gift from Her Majesty, the Empress Dowager herself.

"Insolent! Dare you defy me?!" Imperial Consort Vanis snapped, her gaze sweeping across the room, landing on her personal maid's worried expression. Freya leaned in, whispering softly into her ear, "Milady, it was bestowed upon you by Empress Dowager Vivian herself."

Upon hearing the name of Empress Dowager, Imperial Consort Vanis suddenly turned ashen. Everyone inside the palace understood the mother of the emperor's behavior very well. She'd try to make things difficult for you and there were many things for her to nitpick at. She could imagine the Empress Dowager visiting and making a fuss over a small thing. And no, she couldn't let it happen. Now that His Majesty rarely visited her anymore, if she were to oppose the Empress Dowager too then she was really a fool. "Take it away." She said in a somewhat subdued tone. Freya grabbed the thing and passed it vigilantly to the next maid beside her.

It wasn't the value of the vase, that made them care for it. It was because of the 'value' of the one who gave it. If it was just Vanis, she had long discarded that ugly vase.

Afterward, Freya took a deep discernible breath. "Milady, please soothe your anger. Even the walls can hear words. If this will to pass on the ears of other imperial concubines..."

"Tell me! How?! I need to calm down?! His Majesty is going again to that wench's palace! What exactly is good on that woman?!"

This 'wench' that she was referring to is none other than Consort Lein. She entered the palace two years ago, and before her, Imperial Consort Vanis was the most favored. That explained Lady Vanis's hatred towards Lady Lein.

"My Lady..." Freya revealed a trace of anxiety. If one were to hear Imperial Consort Vanis using vulgar words, it wouldn't be good for her mistress's reputation.

"And look at that bitch. Tomorrow she'll go around flaunting here and there. She's not even half as beautiful as my feet. Who does she think she is?!"

Well, that was true. Vanis was considered the number one beauty before and after she entered the palace. Nobody could compare with her in terms of outer appearance, aside from Consort Elitia, which was unluckily, always sick, and was diagnosed that it'd be 'extremely hard' for her to bear an imperial child. But who would be fooled by that sugarcoating? It meant the consort was infertile. She could never bear an imperial seed.