novelraw Chapter 4
Chapter 4
4~ Collar~
"Mmph mmph..."
Mo had already started to panic. Bound immobile, her mouth sealed shut, the place she was lying now should be... the Empress's bedchamber?
No matter what, this time she couldn't escape her fate...
There was even a high probability she'd be dragged off by this Empress to do some terrifying magical experiments... According to her investigations, this Empress seemed particularly fond of conducting magical experiments. Just thinking about how her future identity would be the Empress's pet made her face turn ashen.
One day, she would definitely make this damned Empress regret this! Using the knowledge in her mind that far exceeded this world's understanding...!
"She's in your hands. Wash her clean, and style her according to my preferences."
"Yes."
The Maid Ling grabbed Mo and headed straight for the Empress's private bathhouse. Although she wasn't the Empress, she had received the Empress's tacit approval.
"Please sit properly, Lady Mo. Don't move around."
The Maid Ling's emotionless voice sounded as both hands pressed on her shoulders with some force, immediately causing her such pain that tears welled up.
"Wuu wuu wuu..."
Be gentle! It hurts!
Expressionless, gently helping her wipe her body, truly her expression didn't change in the slightest throughout, like a puppet...
"Wuu wuu?"
In a daze, she was suddenly scooped out of the water and laid flat on the counter. She looked up somewhat puzzled and glanced over—the maid was holding a razor in her hand.
"Pardon the offense, Lady Mo."
"???!!!"
...
...
"Your Majesty, the grooming is complete."
Shortly after, the Maid Ling stood beside the Empress and said quietly, a trace of fragrance still lingering on her hands.
"Mm, watch her, don't let her run around."
The Empress responded, but the work in her hands showed no sign of stopping.
"Yes."
"Also, let me know if she makes any moves."
After all, this was a wild cat she'd brought back herself, she still had to keep an eye on her.
After the Maid Ling left, she finally put down her pen, took a small sip of black tea, and shifted her gaze to a particular document on the desk, a proposal suggesting she rescind the order to withdraw troops from Glaze Nation and attack again.
"It seems someone feels they can challenge my authority?"
Her expression gradually darkened.
Ever since she ascended the throne and unified the Eastern Region, people had gradually become restless. Was it because during this period their local power had grown, and they felt they could challenge imperial authority?
Looks like it was about time to clean up these disobedient little dogs around her... Mad dogs that bite their master have no reason to exist.
...
On the other side, Mo sat anxiously on the bed in the Scarlet Phoenix Nation Empress's bedchamber, looking around for somewhere she could hide.
Yes, she wanted to hide, not find an opportunity to run away, because that way she'd be caught by the maid beside the Empress and tied up again until the Empress returned.
Who knew when the Empress would return to her bedchamber to rest! She didn't want to be tied up for several hours! That would probably make her hands and feet lose all feeling, right?!
Not wanting to be tied up for several hours, nor wanting to face the Empress directly when she returned, there was only one path left, 'hiding.'
After several examinations, she discovered there wasn't really anywhere to hide in the enormous bedchamber. If she had to say, there were only two choices, the wardrobe and under the bed.
Forget it, under the bed it is. As long as she felt secure in her heart.
Just like that, she dove under the bed without hesitation, even bringing a pillow to cushion her arms so they wouldn't hurt from propping herself up too long.
And so she waited, curled up under this bed that could give her some sense of security...
Not knowing how much time had passed, she had almost fallen asleep, her head already groggily pillowed on the pillow, and still hadn't seen the Empress return.
Forget it, should she take a little nap first? By the looks of it, the Empress probably wouldn't return this quickly. It had already been close to an hour.
Drowsiness wrapped around her, almost pulling her into dreamland. Very soon, she couldn't withstand drowsiness's assault and collapsed onto the pillow with a 'thud.'
"Your Majesty, Lady Mo has fallen asleep."
"Under the bed?"
"Yes."
"..."
The diligent Empress finally put down the pen in her hand, her expression darkening as she rose to return to her bedchamber.
"Then Your Majesty, these..."
"Those that don't need my personal handling, give to the Council. Organize the rest and send them to my bedchamber."
"Yes."
The Maid Ling watched the Empress's departing figure. Her eternally unchanging facial expression actually changed at this moment, becoming complex and profound.
...
...
"Wifey! Ehehe~"
As expected, 2D waifus are the best! What 3D girlfriend? How could she compare to my... bah! How could she compare to my 2D wifey?!
Trashy witch~ My trashy witch~ Kurumi~ My Kurumi~ So many wives...
Suddenly, as if grabbed by a hand and dragged down from the clouds, falling to the ground, she jolted awake. Was everything that just happened a dream? She hadn't returned to the world that originally belonged to her.
"Awake?"
"Mm... Mm?"
Gradually waking from her daze, Mo discovered she was once again lying on this soft bed. She remembered she had originally been hiding under the bed? The voice that just asked her was?
Abruptly turning her head, sure enough the Empress was sitting to the side, leisurely leaning against the headboard, legs crossed, holding a book that was more than half read.
"Are you afraid of me?"
"...Your Majesty has conquered in all directions to unify the Eastern Region. It's natural that I harbor fear."
Moreover, with such a fearsome reputation?
The Empress frowned, put down the book, and forcefully pinched Mo's cheek:
"I don't want to hear this kind of hypocritical polite talk. I want to hear your truth. Answer my question with the most genuine thoughts in your heart."
The truth?
The corner of Mo's mouth twitched slightly. Steeling herself:
"Afraid."
The answer was as expected. The Empress released her cheek.
Yes, kept under house arrest in the palace, forcibly made to sign a magical contract equivalent to selling herself, how could she not be afraid?
She laughed somewhat self-mockingly, then shook her head.
Mo was somewhat baffled, unable to figure out what this Empress was thinking in her head.
"Come here."
Mo: "?"
What? The Empress is calling me... to sit on her lap!?
What's going on?! This is!?
But she didn't dare ask, didn't dare resist. She obediently crawled out from under the blanket and over, sitting on the Empress's lap.
"My name is Fei."
"Mm??"
Whether shocked for a moment that the Empress was actually not using the imperial "I," or that the Empress had told her her name, Mo couldn't react for a moment.
"From now on, when no one's around, you're allowed to call me by my name directly."
Mo: "?!"
Call her name directly?
Directly addressing the Emperor's personal name, in any country, that was a grave crime!
Her body was hugged tightly by Fei, but she didn't dare move an inch, afraid of accidentally angering this Empress.
After a long while, her body was released. Fei retrieved an exquisitely packaged small box from the cabinet and placed it in her hands.
"Open it and see."
Fei's face carried a trace of a smile, as if very much anticipating her reaction after opening the box.
With some doubt, Mo unwrapped the box. The interior decoration couldn't be called anything but luxurious, and beneath this luxurious decoration, a beautiful collar lay quietly, the size just roughly matching her neck, as if specially custom-made for her.
Mo: "..."