Names.
Yes.
Stats.
"Eh...heh..."
She gave a nervous laugh. Fortunately, it seemed to be quiet enough for no one to notice.
Mental note. Always check stats!!
Belatedly, she bit her lip and concentrated on Ezekiel. Might as well check so she could bluff her way into pretending she just had a brain fart.
[~~STATS~~
Ezekiel Orville - Imperial Captain of the Guard
Class: Swordsman
Sex: Male
Age: 35 years
Height: 5'11 ft
Weight: 168 lbs
Hair Color: Green
Eye Color: Purple
Skill: Calm Mentality
Mood: Stung
Affection Points: 0
Kinks: Food]
...Food??
She pursed her lips, after a moment. There was also a red box...button...thing, she could tap on his screen. So she did, curious.
[CHALLENGE
Rank: 7
OBJECTIVE: Seduce Ezekiel Orville!
REWARD: 15 SPECIAL SKILL POINTS
ACCEPT?]
Urghh...are they all just going to be sex???
She clicked decline quickly.
The coffee arrived.
The other men looked flustered as they carried the tray with a fancy cup, and the scent wafting through the air was divine.
The cup was set before her on the table and the group looked at her eagerly as she picked it up, a napkin between her hand and the cup itself to keep from burning herself.
"T-This is quite good actually..." She sipped, looking down into the cup.
The contents smelled lovely, and indeed the taste was good, as well. Smooth but rich in flavor. Dark. Very strong. Not bitter at all, but without that thin watery consistency so common to weak coffee.
Ezekiel gave her a slight smile. "Glad you enjoy it, your Majesty."
She put the cup down and fumbled around a little awkwardly. "You're a valuable asset to the kingdom, Ezekiel." She assumed. His title seemed to indicate it, after all. "I hope to see you more often."
His eyes widened. "Majesty...if it is your will, then...yes...of course, I shall do my best to attend to you always."
Something about the way he said that tickled her a little.
Everyone was just so...devoted...? Was it really? Or was it because of her station? She wasn't entirely sure but...
Well.
If they really are willing to serve her, then she'd try to fulfill her role as an Empress worth serving.
"Ah! That's good. Very good." She smiled warmly at him, and he immediately lit up. His whole demeanor seemed to brighten as she gazed at him. He smiled back, nodding.
She coughed.
This man was doing her no favors carrying this conversation.
Well then. She would have to speak up, just this once.
"I...must be off. See to your men, Captain Ezekiel. Make them good, loyal subjects and men."
"Of course, Empress Isabelle." He replied with a little flourish and a bow.
She took her leave, feeling a bit awkward that her attempts at small talk were mostly brushed over. It was probably just that it was intimidating to speak to the empress.
Maybe that's why?
She hoped that was it.
But how was she supposed to talk to anyone, then?
If she wanted to find anything out, or get anything done, or change anything, or do anything, she was going to have to speak to people, wasn't she?
Being the Empress wasn't a walk in the park.
She sighed and shook her head, walking down the halls of the palace once more, aimless - because there wasn't a pop up map, so she had no idea where anything was.
So she just walked around the maze of a palace until eventually she came across someone that didn't scurry away when she approached them.
A man dressed in finery and groomed to the nines stood off to the side of the entrance to a massive throne room, one leg propped up against the wall. His posture changed slightly and a smile broke out on his lips when he looked up at her.
"Greetings, Your Majesty. You're a bit early." His tone was smooth, calm and...sort of sexy? Or was that just her?
His golden tanned skin reflected the light of the room, a gorgeous sight to behold, while the finery he wore matched it with its brilliance.
He absolutely seemed to know how gorgeous he was, too. The look in those vibrant, yellow eyes spoke of confidence and self assurance that left her feeling like he was in complete control of himself, and those around him.
She'd learned her lesson from Ezekiel. Before answering him, she squinted at him to get his stat sheet to appear.
[~~STATS~~
Phoenix Rosereave – Court Concubine
Class: Aristocrat
Sex: Male
Age: 23 years
Height: 6'0 ft
Weight: 151 lbs
Hair Color: Yellow
Eye Color: Gold
Skill: Instant Seduction
Mood: Frisky
Affection points: 24
Kinks: Dominance
Bondage
Public]
Wow. Okay. Those were....wow.
It seemed pointless to bother but - she pressed the red button
[CHALLENGE
RANK: 1
OBJECTIVE: Seduce Phoenix Rosereave!
REWARD: 2 SKILL POINTS
ACCEPT?]
....Horrifyingly, 'decline' was inert. Apparently this was a 'tutorial' quest. She couldn't refuse it.
She accepted it. But she didn't like it.
Mostly because she hated compulsory tutorials.
She just didn't have a choice, really.
Just because I accepted the challenge doesn't mean I'll do it, though. She huffed to herself. I can be stubborn, too.
Her thoughts were interrupted by Phoenix saying, "Ah. Have you forgotten something, Empress? We had an appointment."
....Did they?
"...Er...uh."
He chuckled, the sound smooth like silk. The corners of his eyes crinkled up with his amusement. "Am I being too forward?"
He was smirking now, amused, like a cat toying with a mouse.
...Is he messing with me on purpose?
The look in his eyes said yes. Yes he was.
She scowled. "You're...quite a brat, Phoenix."
Yes.
She had no idea how Isabelle normally treated this man, but at least she knew his name.
"Only to people who need it, my dearest empress." He wasn't even slightly deterred by her response, it seemed.
How cheeky. She huffed agin, squinting at him.
...Well, she had a suspicion that Isabelle felt the same way about him: he was someone who spoke to her like a person, and not some object of devotion. Someone who didn't cower when she appeared before him.
Perhaps he wasn't that bad after all.
"...Where are we going?" She asked hesitantly.
He made a show of straightening up and brushing imaginary dirt off his tunic before holding a hand out to her. "Where else but to your coronation?"
Coronation...wasn't she already the empress, though?
"You have people all a-twitter with your recent proclamation, you know." His lips curled up into a perfect smile. "Declaring the empress can rule without a king consort at her side. It's a daring move, for a woman in her first day in power."
She opened her mouth to explain herself but the door guard interrupted, opening the door and peering through it.
"Ah! Y-Your majesty! There you are!" He coughed and straightened his posture. "Her Majesty is here!"
She still didn't understand.
Didn't Archibald treat me as if I was already the empress, capable of making laws? Surely he didn't expect me to get married the very day of my coronation??
There was a lot going on. She still hadn't digested being thrown into a new world. It was taking everything in her not to lose her shit completely. She hoped she wasn't looking like some weirdo.
That's how people got overthrown. She couldn't afford it. Literally or figuratively.
The doors opened wide before her.
Larger than life, a sprawling room decorated in lavish detail opened up to her as she walked through the threshold, and with each step she took she felt eyes upon her. Watching, waiting, scrutinizing her.
It made her nervous.
There wasn't time to be nervous though. As soon as she stepped foot into the room, trumpets blared loudly beside her, nearly deafening her.
An ornate throne sat atop a few stairs on a raised platform at the far end of the room. Her march toward it seemed long.
People were dressed to the nines. All finely attired with jewels dripping from their bodies like they'd never have to buy anything again as long as they lived. They lined the aisle she strode through, their eyes trained on her and her alone.
She tried to be confident.
But...it was really difficult to act regal when she didn't feel it.
As she ascended the steps, she became all too aware of all the eyes upon her, all the hushed whispers, all the opinions being formed in real time.
It wasn't a matter of how much she impressed them in the long run. It was a matter of how she performed at that moment.
Act regal. Act regal. Act regal. Be an Empress. Regal. Empress. She chanted inside her mind.
And then she finally reached the top, where an older man dressed in fine robes awaited her.
"Empress Isabelle. It's an honor to be blessed to stand beside you this day. Let us begin!" He shouted in a loud booming voice.
She felt very under-dressed for this. Perhaps it was best this world didn't appear to have cameras. At least no one would remember how horribly she screwed this up.
No, wait. Focus. I can't screw it up!!
"Empress Isabelle. Do you swear to guide your people to prosperity and goodwill in times of peace and peril alike? Will you make a pledge to protect the land of Nevremia with the full weight of your body, mind, and soul? Will you swear to become our sole guiding light and leader, and lay down your life for our great Empire?"
....I don't want to lay down my life for anything...!
She squirmed nervously and coughed, "Ah...."
All eyes were upon her. Every single citizen in attendance for this event. Not a single gaze strayed to look at each other.
Every last one of them waited for her to give them her response.
And so, under the pressure, she gave them what they wanted.
"Y-Yes!" She declared proudly. As proudly as she could.
She might as well be facing a firing squad. That's how nerve wracking this whole experience was.
It only got worse.
The man had a glint in his eye that reminded her of a particularly terrifying grade school teacher who liked to torture her students on the daily with extra homework.
The man looked delighted to inform her, "Very well. Then for your first order of duty as our Empress, please select a King Consort who will rule the empire with you and who will guide our people with you. Choose wisely, Your majesty, because it cannot be taken back."
That's why he had the manic gleam in his eye!!
She pursed her lips and looked up at him, defiant.
"I will not." She said as confidently as she could. "I will not have a king consort. As Empress, I say so myself. I-I will...I'll have a harem!"
She stumbled a bit over her words but managed to make them as powerful as possible.
She didn't want to let go of that moment.
The entire crowd went silent.
Like, so silent, she could actually hear the candles burning.
"...And. I will not have a time limit to select them."
Might as well go for broke. She thought to herself. When will I have the courage again? Probably never!
The man, bless him, merely nodded, albeit with a faint confused and horrified expression.
"The Empress' word is law. This concludes the coronation!" He said quickly, his voice sounding a little squeaky as he raised a fist and said louder, "The Empress has spoken!"
Everyone began clapping politely.
...Huh.
That was.
Suspiciously easy.