Adelaide's POV
It's only been a few days since I met the emperor and the central palace is now bustling with the servants preparing to welcoming Victor's new concubine. It's noisy and I couldn't enjoy my time alone in the garden.
"Your majesty..."
I turned my attention to my attendant.
"...The emepror has arrived."
Huh? I didn't even bother to get up from my seat as the emepror walks to where I am, I thought if I could have a nice breakfast in the garden but it turns out to be the later.
"What do you want?"
Victor asked the maid to leave before he smiled at me.
"I need you to come to the welcoming tomorrow. That way it looks like we have harmonious relationship. It won't be long. Just a few hour would be enough."
Huh?
"Why? To give your mistresses some pep talk?"
Victor rolled his eyes,
"Concubines, Adele. They are not mistresses."
Isn't that the same thing?
"Since you be bringing in your mistresses, is it okay for me to have a lover as well? It's only fair for us, right?"
Victor was surprised.
"What are you spouting? Why would an empress be taking in lovers?"I shrugged my shoulder.
"You got those women inside the palace. Why can't I?"
The emperor seems to be in a dilemma. I was just playing around when Victor actually agreed to my crazy suggestion.
"You may bring in a lover or two. But you are not allowed to bear their children."
That was easy, I never thought he would agree to such suggestion. I smiled and said,
"Sure. I'll attend the party. Now, excuse me, I need to eat."
Victor nodded before he left. Does that man think being the emperor is all fun and games? Does he think because he took all those ladies into his harem, he will get to use them for his own selfish gain? How stupid is he?
"Would you like another cup of tea, your majesty?"
I nodded while fanning myself with a hand fan, Is it possible for me to express this feeling of discontent? If so, how should I do it? Is it by screaming at the top of my lungs or should I just indulged myself with more work?
"I wonder if it's possible for me to file for a divorce. What do you think of that idea? Would it be better for me to be a single mother than continue to be the empress?"
The maids were surprised by what I just said. Of course it's impossible for me to leave this marriage but a woman can dream,
"Your majesty, please refrain yourself from speaking of such words. What if the emepror or his aide heard you? That would bring forth more trouble than solution. I suggest that you continue to be the person who support the emepror in ruling this empire." Sarah reminded me. Even if this is my palace and I am the Empress, that doesn't mean that the emepror and the nobles would let me do whatever I want. But hey-
"You heard the emepror. He allow to have my own lover. Should I look for one now?"
Sarah sigh.
"Your majesty, as happy I am for you, you need to be the wise one. What will the nobles who are against you say when they hear you're taking in a lover? They will continue to belittle you. We all know how the nobles are rooting for Lady Lydia. The nobles wish for the lady to be the empress. So I implore that you keep it low for now."
I scoffed.
"Why do I have to keep it low? The only reason Victor became the emepror is because of my family support."
My eyes landed on a rather interesting news article when a maid placed the morning paper on my table, I reached out and read rhetorical article while enjoying my breakfast,
"Astoria Aspen? Was there any Aspen in the empire registrar before?"
Sarah nodded.
"I'm not sure if you remembered but the Aspen is the fallen noble family from the North. They used to guard the Northen border from monsters that came from the Abyss Mountain, Few years back, the former head of Aspen family were caught slaving demi humans illegally The former emperor handled their case."
I see.
"Who is Astoria Aspen?"Sarah look at the other maids before she lean closer to my ear and whispered,
"No one knows who she is. She claimed to be count Aspen long lost daughter. But we all know count Aspen was not married. All he did was slaying monsters, enslaving demi humans and killing innocent people for his own entertainment."
Is that so? Then why would Astoria Aspen suddenly appeared out of nowhere claiming to be part of such barbarian family?
"I wonder what's there to see in the gossip coloumn,"
Sarah sigh yet again,
"Your majesty, please why would you even giving a second thought about gossips?"
I chuckled.
"Sarah, you have no idea how important gossips are. That's where all the juicy information are."
Sarah hummed.
"But aren't gossips just a little activity bored housewives came up with? There's nothing important about gossips, your majesty."
And that's where she is wrong.
"Your majesty, a messenger has arrived from your family. There is a letter from Duke Hawthorne."
Huh-from father? I wonder what sort of letter he sent me. That man probably knew what is happening inside the palace. With Victor bringing in consorts, he must be worried about me.
Or so I thought-"It seems my father is planning a banquet adjacent to the emepror's banquet."
That man- he wants to make sure the nobles and imperialist know where he stands in this battle. I couldn't care less. As long as those consorts know how to deal with official affairs, I don't mind they took turns sleeping with that useless Victor.
The moment they knew how incompetent that man is, that's when I laugh leisurely at their misery for choose such a man to be their partner. I know I did.