Chapter 4: The Weird behavior of the Empress (1).

''Did you hear?''

''About her majesty…''

''I heard her majesty suffered from a brain damage.''

''Her majesty doesn't seem the same as before.''

''I've seen her majesty recently. She walked around the empress' palace in nothing but her silk gown.''

''How unfitting of her majesty.''

''She's acting weird lately.''

''Her--shhh!''

''Why-Grand chamberlain!'' The three maids discussing about the empress in whispers paled at the sight of the brown-haired man with a one-eyed glass, also known as monocle. In his hands were stacks of papers, probably for the emperor, and he was walking straight towards them.

As fast as lightning, the maids hurried to the side, each giving a respectful bow to the brown-haired man, the aide of the emperor with the title Grand Chamberlain.

The tensed back of the maids visibly relaxed when seeing no sign of the Grand chamberlain's steps stopping on the way.

Perhaps he didn't hear their words. The three maids all thought the same. However, they relaxed too soon as the steps of the Grand chamberlain visibly halted on the spot.

''It seems the head maid isn't doing her job the right way.''

''….!'' The three maids gulped at those words. Their backs broke out in sweat as they lowered themselves more, hoping for the Grand chamberlain to have mercy on them.

In the nobility, one of the etiquettes for servants like themselves was never to discuss their superiors. This was the imperial palace and their superiors were both the empress and the emperor, the pair seated at the top of the hierarchy in the empire.

They, on the other hand, were just commoners, servants at the bottom of the hierarchy. Their tongues could be cut off or they could be executed for openly discussing about the empress.

''Have mercy, Grand chamberlain.'' One of the maids was quick to beg for forgiveness. Life was only once and she couldn't be careless because of her nosiness and loud mouth.

''Have mercy, Grand chamberlain.'' The other two maids were quick to go down on their knees like their fellow maid just did. They too, did not want to die because of their loud mouths.

''Give your names to the head maid. If you cannot obey such simple orders, then I see no use for you in the imperial palace.''

Alas, the maids were not lucky, as the Grand chamberlain was not one to have mercy. Their heart shook at his words, knowing that they couldn't escape punishments.

The Grand chamberlain was as strict and disciplined as the rumors portrayed him to be.

''Still on your knees?''

''N-No Grand chamberlain.'' The three maids were quick on their feet and scurried away down the hallway. None of them expected to enter trouble just after sun-drying the linens of the imperial palace.

''How troublesome.'' The brown-haired man clicked his tongue. It wasn't until the backs of the maids disappeared that he resumed his steps to the office of the emperor.

''Your majesty should have listened to my words.'' He grumbled to himself. Now, the emperor's actions have caused some disturbance in the imperial palace. It seemed he would have to seal lips of these servants before these disturbances spread outside the imperial palace.

''Her majesty too….'' His brows furrowed when thinking of the empress. This must be her way of getting the emperor's attention, but the empress also wasn't one to seek the emperor's attention.

Walking around her palace in nothing but her silk gown?

'That's different..' The empress, from his perspective, was someone gentle and elegant…a typical noble lady that had never seen much of the world. She didn't seem like someone who would undermine her prestige by doing such as the empress.

'Anyway…I'll force his majesty to visit her. Once this is done, the palace will retain its former peace.' The Grand chamberlain thought, unaware that this little disturbance was just the beginning of what was to come.

By that time, he would faint from the overload of work and would want to quit his job immediately.

''Grand chamberlain.'' The two knights gave him a respectful nod once he stood before the exquisite double doors. Following this, they opened the doors for him to pass through, only for him to get to another.

'Why are there so many doors?' The sight of these doors displeased him, especially with the load in his hand. Even after being the aide of the emperor for six years, he still hasn't gotten used to the imperial palace that much.

Balancing the stacks of paper on one hand, the Grand chamberlain managed to open one of the doors and stepped inside the emperor's office carefully before shutting the door.

''You have them?'' Not a second later, he heard a familiar voice. A voice definitely belonging to the emperor.

''Of course, your majesty.'' Not seeming surprised with how the emperor knew he was the one, the Grand chamberlain carried the stacks of papers now with both hands and dropped them somewhere on one of the side tables.

He then stood before the busy man scribbling on the desk, patiently waiting to grab his attention.

''What is it?'' Golden eyes met his gaze.

''Your majesty still hasn't visited her majesty.'' He brought up the pending matter without hesitation. This matter must be solved once and for all. The Grand chamberlain was determined to move the emperor straight for the empress's palace.

''I'll visit her later.''

''It has been three days since her majesty woke up. There are some disturbing rumors of her majesty in the imperial palace. This servant is worried that the Grand duke might find out about such. The nobles aren't one to sit idly either with the way your majesty treats her majesty.'' He carefully reminded why the emperor needed to visit the empress no matter what.

With her outstanding background, she couldn't be slighted one bit, even if he was the emperor. The nobles and the Grand duke were watching the imperial family with eyes like hawks. Once they spot a sign of emperor's indifference to the empress, they would start clamoring over the issue that was the least of their concerns.

It wasn't even their business in the first place…but with a bloodline like the emperor, the Grand chamberlain knew this was the main reason why they would point out on such. They looked down on the emperor deep down in their hearts.

''...''

''Your majesty should just visit her majesty. At least, the rumors would quieten down a bit. It wouldn't be advisable for nobles to know that your majesty favors the queen over her majesty.'' The Grand chamberlain tried again, albeit using the queen's name as a leverage. Anything connected to the queen would definitely move the emperor.

''….Alright.'' A sigh came with the emperor's agreement, as though he had given up on arguing. The Grand chamberlain was pleased to see such sight. As he expected, using the queen's name was the best to move such man like the emperor.

Letting go of the feather pen, the emperor stood up from the chair, his large built towering over the Grand chamberlain. Strands of his hair dangled over his forehead as his golden eyes gleamed quite brightly for the day.

''To the empress's palace.''

>Enjoy!<