101 Ways To Tame The Emperor

Chapter 3: Ally Number Two

“NO. I CAN’T grant that request, Catherine. Anything but that. That place is too far away that it would take you about two to three days to be there through carriage.”

Baldy’s answer was just as I expected. My patience is at its peak. In six days’ time, I will have to leave for the Imperial Castle which Baldy interprets as me dying in six days. I was pretty sure that was the reason why he said he would grant me a wish today when he came to my room this morning. He would grant me any wish except from visiting my mother.

“Then can I visit the Capital instead?”

“You can. But you have to bring bodyguards with you.”

Of course, I have to be escorted by them. I pretty much expected that, too. There was no way that these people would let their sacrificial lamb leave the manor freely.

When Baldy snapped his finger, his servants suddenly arrived and brought me dresses, decent ones this time, since Catherine’s wardrobe looks so ancient and cringey. She had to constantly fix her dress and stitch the holes in them because Baldy never bought her dresses. What she used to wear were all hand-me-downs from Matilde and the other maids.

Now this was unexpected. This is the first time that Baldy actually spent a dime on Catherine considering how wealthy he is. Unfortunately, she was no longer here to see it for herself. But then, there was no need to feel emotional. Parents really ought to be providing for their children but Baldy was never a parent to Catherine.

For someone like me who was used to wearing an army uniform, this is a bit uncomfortable. Wearing such girly dresses was never my cup of tea but this was among the many things I need to deal with from now on.

When the servants left, Baldy threw a pouch which I instinctively caught with my hand. “Use those coins to buy the things you want in the Capital.”

In front of Baldy, I opened the pouch and counted the coins inside. There were a total of twenty silver coins there. Well, this is good enough as a pocket money. I would treat this as a compensation for having to wear the dresses. One silver coin in Morven was equivalent to an average monthly salary of a regular employee. But I don’t feel thankful at all since I know that Baldy was only doing this out of pity for someone whom he regarded as a dying person.

Besides, I heard that his daughters’ allowances are two gold coins monthly. This Baldy is actually being so stingy.

“I am giving you a favor by doing all these, Catherine. Are you just going to kneel there and not say anything to your Count?” He asked when I remained silent after all the unexpected gifts. The words “you owe me” were all over his eyes.

Of course, I know what he was trying to say. Baldy wanted me to show my gratitude by bowing to him again. He probably expected me to be teary-eyed. But I feel the opposite. I’m seething with so much fury inside me. It took me an enormous effort not to grab the sword from his bodyguard who was standing at the doorway while I was kneeling in front of the very man I detest. I heard that the other daughters don’t do this when facing Baldy. It was just Catherine, being the ‘highly favored’ one.

The temptation to steal the sword and run it through Baldy’s rotten heart was too much. If ever I would become the Empress, I swear I will make these people kneel to make up for all the years Catherine had to endure in silence.

I raised my head and met Baldy’s eyes. His lips parted as if he was not expecting it since Catherine never dared to do it before. Now, no matter how much I hate it, I am his ‘daughter’, too. It’s normal for daughters to look at their parents’ faces, right? Besides, what can Baldy do to me now? He would not punish me for this, would he? Because he needs me.

With that thought, I lifted my chin. I can’t be whipped unlike the other servants because my body has to be in good condition since I will be meeting the Emperor, that is if I get lucky. The possibility of being ambushed on the way to the Imperial Castle is always there. Sending a supposed to be illiterate lady like me to the Castle was like insulting the Emperor but they never paid much attention to it since they were so sure that I would die soon like the women before me.

The nerve of these people!

“I am doing you favors here, Catherine,” he repeated in a stern voice.

 This bastard… Seriously, just what kind of sin did Catherine commit in her past life to have a father like Baldy?

“With all due respect, I am also doing your family a favor, Bal-I mean, Count.” Damn, I almost called him ‘Baldy’. I guess I will need to practice more about calling him Count or else my tongue might slip again and I would be punished for real. “The favors you are giving me, I believe I earned them. I have worked hard as a maid in this manor my whole life. I did not spend the coins I earn but after thirty years of serving here, I only have twenty silver coins unlike the other maids who were able to save a gold coin or two by now. That’s why I would like to think of the dresses and the coins as my compensation.”

Baldy’s forehead creased. “They only gave you twenty silver coins?”

Don’t feign innocence. I won’t fall for it, you sick bastard.  “Yes, Count. That is the reason why I don’t believe you granted me a favor. I earned those. Besides, I will have to risk my life for the House of Peiris. I will keep encountering dangers on my way to the Imperial Castle and while living there. Like you, I also believe that a human life is precious, Count. No amount of dresses and silver coins can be equivalent to a human life.”

He stood up from the only decent chair I had in my room and pointed a finger at me. His chest heaved out of anger and his eyes narrowed.

“You ingrate! Even if you feel wronged, I am still your father! How dare an ignorant like you talk to your father that way? You should feel honored! I allowed you to live and allowed you to carry my name even if you do not deserve it so I could use you in emergency situations like this! That was the only purpose of your existence! You can’t disappoint me like this!”

If there is a store in the Capital that sells manners, I would buy a lot and donate it to Baldy and his family. I took a sharp breath to calm myself down and then I looked at him innocently. “I am honored, Count. That was the reason why I did not try to complain about my situation anymore. I know what I am to you and I am doing my fair share as a tool for the House of Peiris. Besides, pardon me for saying this, Count, but you ordered me never to treat you as a father since you will not be treating me as a daughter. What we have is just a Count and servant relationship. Nothing more. Nothing less. You said that yourself.”

“How dare you twist my own words, you little wench!”

“Forgive me, Count. I have been insolent.” I pretended to be sad as I grimaced and dramatically held my chest. But since I was a bad actress, I probably look like I ate a spoiled food. “Knowing that I am dying soon must have been taking a huge toll on my head. I could not think properly. I could not even eat well these past few days. Lately, I’ve been having nightmares about several assassins chasing me.” I added in a shaky voice. “The truth is… I am so afraid, Count. I don’t know what to do. I feel like dying already.”

That was a lie.

Matilde would bring me food good for two before dawn and would go back to deliver some more late at night. In my world, I never got to eat so much except during my rest days. But lately, I can eat to my heart’s content. After I got ‘sick’ because of the spell, Baldy did not allow me to go back to being a maid anymore. He was being gracious for the first time. His conscience must have been acting up. That’s why I just stay in my room while learning as much as I can about this world through Matilde.

I purposefully did not eat the food the maids bring in my room so that others will think that I’m still sick. Who would want to eat that blasted food anyway? They just deliver an apple and a plain soup along with medicine. The high and mighty Baldy must have heard it so he personally came to check on me today.

It would have been better if I can produce tears right now. But I just can’t. Unlike Catherine who cries as regularly as brushing her teeth, I don’t cry easily. The first and last time I cried was when Nanny died and that was twelve years ago. Had I known that I would get to experience something like this, I would have attended an acting workshop.

The Mage had power. He knew I was coming to this world. He should have casted a spell and gave me a heads-up at least.

“I-is that so?” Baldy asked after a while. I could not tell if it was just my imagination or his voice really did soften. If that’s the case, then it’s good. It means my acting made his defenses waver a bit. “Don’t worry. If you are lucky, you will survive.”

Wow. Hearing that from my supposed to be father was ‘very comforting’. “Do you want me to survive, Count?”

“Do you have any other wish that you want me to fulfill for you? As long as it is not about not going to the Imperial Castle or not about visiting your mother, I will give it to you.” He blurted out instead as if there was no need for him to decide on what he had to say.

Now, I feel relieved that Catherine was not here. I don’t want her to get more upset than she already is. If only Baldy said that he hoped I would survive, if only he showed the tiniest bit of sincerity or worry about sending me to a foreign place filled with hidden enemies, things might have changed between us. I might have second thoughts about making him my enemy. But he didn’t. Until the last minute, he was determined to disappoint and break the heart of his own flesh and blood.

This was what I get for pushing my luck too much just because his expression changed a little. I don’t understand. Catherine and I are completely two different people. But why… why did Baldy’s words sting? For a second, I remembered my own parents. Did they even shed a tear when they thought I died? Were they sad or were they actually… relieved? Because my death meant another load off their chests. I shivered upon the sudden coldness that I felt.

After a while, I smiled bitterly. Maybe Catherine and I are the same in some ways.

“Answer me, Catherine.”

I tried to shove back the memories of my own parents in the deepest part of my heart. Matilde’s face popped in my head next as she asked me to take her with me despite the danger. “Thank you for your grace, Count. I do have a favor to ask. Is it okay for me to bring Matilde along? I like her food. I want to keep eating the food she serves in the Imperial Castle. If she is the one who will cook for me there, then I will not have any negative thoughts about the food being poisoned.”

“We have a lot of cooks in the manor so I don’t see any problem with that. You have my permission to bring Matilde along with you.”

He then threw five gold coins at my direction before he turned away. I heard his bodyguard gasped.

“You can buy and eat everything you like at the Capital with those coins. Make sure to eat well. Bring your medicine with you and drink it on time. I will see you again in six days.”

Baldy was obviously worried… that I might not live until the day that I have to leave for the Castle. I bowed down and put my left hand on my right shoulder as a Morvenian’s sign of respect. “Thank you for your generosity, Count. May the blessings of the Almighty be with you.”

I stared at the coins blankly when he left. I hate this. Picking money on the ground makes me feel like a beggar. Back in my world, my grandparents left me a trust fund. The amount there was huge enough for me to live comfortably for the rest of my life without having to work. But now…

I took a deep breath, put on my cloak, and stored the coins in my pouch. I brought out the dagger under my bed sheet and strapped it below my left leg for safety reasons. I spent all the silver Catherine saved in her thirty years of existence and asked Matilde the other day to secretly buy me a dagger from Runako’s, the store that apparently sells the Knights’ weapons.

Matilde had to chip in in order to acquire the dagger since the lowest price of the weapon there costs about thirty silver coins. There are stores that sell second-hand items in the black market but I insisted to have a top-grade dagger and I heard that only Runako’s have those kinds of things. I don’t trust second-hand items. They may be cheap but they might be stolen somewhere and I might get arrested for having them if I meet someone who is familiar with those items.

Matilde ended up buying a dagger that costs forty silver coins. She said it was her welcome gift for me. The Mage who predicted Catherine’s future was the one who chose it for her since they accidentally met near Runako’s. The Mage also bought a bow and gifted it to me through Matilde as if he knew that I am now in their world.

I’ve won quite a number of medals in archery competitions when I was a teenager so I know how to use the golden bow that he gave me. According to Matilde, the Mage put magic in the bow and arrows so that when I use it in the future, I will never run out of arrows. Whether it was true or not remains to be seen. But I do hope it was true.

It would be wonderful to have unlimited arrows. Though it would have been better if it was a gun with unlimited bullets. But there are no guns in Morven. Only swords, spears, and bows.

“Why do you think the Mage gave me a bow?” I remembered asking Matilde the other day when she secretly visited me again in the middle of the night.

“Maybe because Sir Richard had a feeling that you know how to use it? Here in Morven, it’s very rare for women to know how to use bow and arrow since most of the female aristocrats only know about attending parties and socializing. I heard that the Emperor is a great archer, as well. You can earn points if His Majesty witnesses you using it.”

So Richard was his name. “I see. The Mage hasn’t exposed my identity yet but it doesn’t mean he can be trusted. Why do you think he’s helping me?”

“I asked him the same thing, my lady. Sir Richard only told me that it was high time for a change in Morven and that we don’t have to worry because he means no harm. He said he will help you whenever you need him. I also believe that he has a motive for this, my lady. I think it’s regarding his family.”

I frowned. “Why? What about his family?”

“Sir Richard used to serve as the Imperial Mage in the Castle. It happened during the previous Emperor’s reign. He was His Majesty’s most trusted person, his advisor, and confidant rolled into one. But one day, he was accused of treason. There were Ministers who said that they caught him exchanging secret letters to the Kingdom of Corbett, the enemy of Morven Empire at that time. They said he was a spy. They had evidences to prove it and showed those things to the public.

“The previous Emperor could not save his best friend. The two of them could not find a way to refute the evidences since they were so many. You see at that time, the Emperor was like the Ministers’ puppet. In fact, the public secretly called him the Puppet King. When they saw that the Emperor began deciding matters on his own with the help of the Mage, they got rid of him.  Sir Richard was supposed to be beheaded but for the sake of his previous contributions to the Empire, His Majesty requested to just remove his title. He could no longer work in any government agencies since his records had been tainted. He was also put in prison for ten years. I also heard that his wife and child died in a house fire while he was still in prison. There were people saying that the fire was plotted by the aristocrats who hated him.”

“If he had been wronged and he has magic, then why didn’t he use it to extract revenge after he got out of the prison?”

“The Ministers were not scared of his magic, my lady. They may not have magic, but they have Mages on their side, too.”

“How about the current Emperor? Do you think he has Mages; too, that’s why the Ministers could not dare to lay a finger on him? Or maybe he, himself has magic.”

“Nobody knows about that, my lady. No one has seen His Majesty use magic before. No one had also heard about him having Mages.”

Just when I thought that Catherine’s story was tragic enough, I heard the Mage’s sad tale. Sir Richard stole Catherine’s rank. In my head, he was now at the top spot of the Unluckiest People in Morven. I heard that the Mage now hunts wild animals and sell it to the Capital to earn a living. After hearing his story, I’m guessing that he was helping me for his personal vendetta against the Ministers which makes him the ally number two.

Whether the Mage can really be trusted or not is something I will find out because I have a feeling that we will meet soon. I must commend him. I like the dagger that he chose for me. It was lightweight, about eight inches long, and it has a double wide serrations on each side of the diamond cross-section shaped blade. The handle is a single piece cast on black metal with Runako’s mark on one side. It was a beautiful fighting blade.

I stepped out of my room and saw the bodyguards already waiting for me at the back gate of the manor. Since I’m the unwanted s***h invisible princess, I can only enter and leave through the back gate, just like the guards and the servants.

The guards are standing beside a carriage, the same carriage the manor use for buying food supplies unlike the special ones with decorations which Catherine’s sisters often use. But this is better for me since it will not be attracting too much attention from the crowd. The two men would sit in front of the carriage since they are not allowed to get inside.

I know how to ride a horse. My grandfather used to be a famous equestrian in our country. He bought me two horses before. But this will be my first time riding on a carriage. I’ve been in this world for a week now and Matilde told me almost everything I needed to know about Morven, including the customs and the policies here but I still can’t help but be amazed by the huge differences. A carriage seems nice though a car would have been nicer since it was faster and more comfortable.

For the countless time, I reminded myself that this is a different world. Cars don’t exist here.

The guards here are wearing a blue coat with a collar, a hat that was turned up on the side, a white cotton shirt, black vest, breech, and black leather shoes. They also had a white silk which was folded diagonally and tied in a square knot at their neck. They looked exactly like the knights in fairy tale books which Nanny used to read for me when she was tucking me to bed.

I removed the hood of my cloak to feel the cold breeze on my face. Now that I think about it, the weather is cold in Morven. It was not snowing, but the wind was cool. The reason why I felt like burning up when I woke up the day I saw Barbara was because I had a fever because of the spell Catherine did. It was only when I recovered did I finally appreciate the weather.

“Let’s get going.” I told the guards before I headed inside the carriage and stared at the window there. I can’t help but feel a little excited because it was my first time outside the manor. Matilde gave me a map two days ago around the manor and the Capital.

I want to visit Runako’s first. Now that I have enough money, I can buy a dagger or two. It’s always better to have an extra. The best thing about Runako’s is that anyone who can afford their product can buy it in the name of self-defense. I don’t have to be a Knight to buy their products.

But before that, I will need to get away first from the bodyguards when we reach the Capital. I would not be able to freely explore with the guards around because their attire is giving them away. They would surely grab the attention of the crowd since the logo in their uniform indicates that they serve under the House of Peiris. A fox was a symbol of the Peiris family and the males who reside in the manor and the knights who serve the family had that logo. That’s why it will not be fun to have them tailing me anywhere I go.

My running skill using Catherine’s body will be tested today. I already prepared an excuse I would give to Baldy later since I know he would turn into a mad dog because of what I plan to do.

Maybe if I forced myself to cry earlier, I would have scored more sympathy points and extorted more gold coins from Baldy. I would have been able to buy more weapons.

Maybe I will have to train myself when it comes to crying, too. It might come in handy one day.