Date
I needed to get Veirya's medal back from Sisi. It wasn't Sisi's property, and the North was a fief that Sisi rewarded her with in the first place. Sisi could auction it. Fine, I had nothing to say about that. In saying that, she couldn't make Veirya sell her medal. I was going to pay on behalf of Veirya, but I had to get back the medal. The medal was Veirya's glory. That was proof that she was humanity's hero. She risked her life and spilt blood for it. Veirya had nothing in her past. If even the only meaningful thing in her past was taken from her, it would be tantamount to erasing her from history. That medal was a representation of the past she regarded importantly. Sure, it was a mere medal. At the same time, though, it was her entire past to her.
"Lord Lin!" Ascillia immediately approached me as soon as she saw me come out.
I handed the cheque to Ascillia and told her, "Pass this cheque onto Lucia. Veirya loaned ten thousand gold coins for the auction, right? This is the repayment. Prepare me a horse carriage. I'm going alone this time. Angelina, Ascillia, please take care of Leah and Ross."
"Lord Lin, where are you going? Your wound has not healed, has it? You certainly do not look recovered. You need proper rest!" urged Ascillia, as she grabbed onto my arm.
I gently pressed my hand on Ascillia's hand. She knew to let go.
"Angelina, you were there when Veirya sold her metal, weren't you? You should be aware how important it is to her; why didn't you stop her?" I questioned.
Angelina shrugged: "It's not mine. How can I stop her from selling it? I asked for her opinion. She was the one who decided she could sell it. She's an adult. Therefore, she can decide if she wants to sell something or not. It's important to her, obviously, but if she chose you over the medal, that means she can sell it without hesitation. You should be happy."
"That's precisely why I can't accept it. Veirya is more important to me than anything and anyone, which is why I can't accept her losing her most cherished possession. I'm going to get it back from Queen Sisi. It's just three thousand gold coins. I can get that much."
Angelina smiled after a brief moment to herself then proclaimed, "Do you actually think you can come back after going to Sisi this time? Do you not realise why she bought the medal? You're walking into the trap she set. I think that it'll be impossible for you to return if you go now."
"I still have to go, nevertheless. I'll always be able to find a way to come back. If Veirya's medal is gone, though, then it's gone for good. That's her past, her cherished possession. I won't just hand it over to Sisi. All that Veirya has left for those years of risking her life is the medal. That's their glory and honour as warriors who slew the Demon King. I must get it back. I must!"
***
"Money sure is easy to make. I sold what was hers to her so easily and made so much," remarked Sisi, pouring red wine onto the gold coins. She sat cross legged on her throne and chuckled: "Put this stuff in my treasury. Take some out to repay my loan from the bank. See, isn't it easy to make money? I didn't do anything and still earned thirteen thousand gold coins."
The head lady-in-waiting solemnly queired, "Your Majesty, the North now truly belongs to Lord Veirya. Moreover, in light of what you did to Sir Lin Dongqing, do you not feel you are in danger? Lord Veirya was loyal to you before, b-"
"Dongqing is a smart man; he should know what to do," interjected Sisi. "He's not dead, which I'm very pleased to know. I never wanted him to die. He won't do anything even if he thinks I assassinated him for he knows who the empire belongs to. He knows the consequence of defying me. He'll obediently return to me because he has qualms. After this, he should be aware that I love him, but if he loses favour, then I can kill him at my own leisure."
"But… he would not return after leaving this time, would he?"
"He will return," guaranteed Sisi, looking at the head lady-in-waiting with a haughty look. "Didn't he say that he loves Veirya? If I have this, all I have to do is wait here. He'll come back as long as I wait her. He'll come and take it back for Veirya."
"Do you not love Sir Lin, though, Your Majesty? You will never be able to have his eyes on you if you do this, right? Love is truly complicated. Sometimes, love is hard to attain. I think you should give up on Sir Lin."
"Never happening," declared Sisi, rubbing her belly earnestly. "Head lady-in-waiting, you made sure to get the dates correct, right? It should be within the next few days, right?"
"Yes, Your Majesty…"
Ladies-in-waiting were Queen Sisi's servants who took responsibility for her day to day life. They knew her body very well. As a result, they knew the dates they were asked to calculate. With that said, that was why the head lady-in-waiting fearfully inquired, "Your Majesty, is this… really wise?"
"Why wouldn't it be?" rhetorically asked Sisi, rising to her feet with a smile. She turned around and headed to her bedroom, expanding, "Isn't it fantastic? Previously, you all mentioned the issue of my successor. The offspring of Dongqing and I, the two smartest individuals, can easily succeed this empire. Is there still something you're not satisfied with? Additionally, once I have a child, what can Dongqing do? He's the child's father; he can't deny that. I don't ask that he lives together with me. Howbeit, he must treat me equally as Veirya. I must have everything Veirya has!"