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~Chapter 39~
Drag Him Out
The servant flinched, his shoulders trembling for a moment before he found his composure again. He still believed that the Empress, who hadn’t even settled into the imperial palace yet, couldn’t do anything to a servant belonging to the Grand Empress’s palace.
He’d heard rumors that the Empress had clashed with the Grand Empress before, but he’d always been absent at those times on Chloe’s orders, so he thought he could act bold.
The servant clenched his fist.
‘I have to carry out the Grand Empress’s command.’
With Chloe behind him, the idea of pressing a country-born Empress was actually exciting.
The servant cleared his throat.
“Cough, Your Majesty the Empress, maybe you don’t know the right way to greet the elders of the imperial family…”
But before he could finish, Regina ordered:
“Kneel.”
“What?”
“I told you to kneel.”
Her flat voice echoed through the room. Remutan, waiting a short distance away, pulled the bell rope immediately.
As the servant and knights entered, he gestured, and the servant from the Grand Empress’s palace was forced to his knees right away.
“What is the meaning of this?!”
“Silence him.”
At Regina’s order, the knights gagged the servant. He was soon tied up and unable to make a sound.
“It seems the Grand Empress has been too generous.”
The soft sound of her white finger tapping on the desk caught everyone’s attention.
“Someone who doesn’t even know how to treat royalty is still working in the Grand Empress’s palace.”
The servant was shocked that Regina criticized Chloe’s judgment. If he had managed to drag the Empress back to the Grand Empress’s palace, maybe things would have been different, but now, his life could be in danger.
He tried to explain, but Regina just looked at him with cold eyes.
“Tie him up and send him to the Grand Empress.”
“Will you write a letter?”
“No need for that. Just tell her, if she wants to see me, send someone proper.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
The knights simply obeyed Regina’s clear intent to go against the Grand Empress openly.
Even if Conrad hadn’t told them to do as Regina wished, the Grand Empress was already an enemy to the Emperor’s knights.
“Drag him out.”
The servant struggled not to be taken away, but he couldn’t overpower the knights.
Some of the knights even looked pleased to see the servant dragged away, and Remutan silently followed Regina’s order.
The knights had been putting up with the Grand Empress’s rude servants for a long time, unable to act because the Grand Empress controlled the palace budget.
Plus, the servants only acted rudely where Conrad wouldn’t notice, so it was never officially reported.
“Are the Grand Empress’s people always like this?”
As if she understood the knights’ troubles, Regina asked. The remaining five or six knights in the room immediately looked eager to answer.
“Yes, Your Majesty!”
A blue-haired knight named Serpina stepped forward.
“Every time we’re on guard duty in the palace, their servants bump our shoulders.”
“That’s right!”
“They even spilled tea on our uniforms!”
“It happens everywhere except the Emperor’s palace!”
The knights’ faces were full of anger as they spoke. Regina looked each one in the eye, then stopped tapping her finger.
When her finger stopped, the knights all fell silent, worried they might get scolded for complaining.
“There are serious problems in the imperial palace.”
But Regina didn’t blame them.
‘Now that I have proof, it’s time to act.’
She’d been waiting for an opportunity, and now Chloe had made a mistake by sending such an unwise servant.
“Servants who look down on knights are shaking the foundation of Fredericks, the empire of the sword. That’s a serious crime.”
The knights listened to her strong words.
Regina motioned to Remutan.
“Did you call, Your Majesty?”
“I checked the palace budget before. There are way too many servants and maids in the Grand Empress’s palace, the First Prince’s palace, and the Princess’s palace.”
“That’s true.”
“That must be the Grand Empress’s decision, right?”
“Yes.”
“From now on, the palace staff must be assigned fairly.”
Remutan was curious about how Regina would take control from Chloe, since she didn’t yet control the finances.
“I’ll bring up how the knights are treated in the palace at the next official meeting.”
“Who will propose it…?”
“Of course, me. Lena Fredericks.”
“I’ll get ready.”
As Remutan left to prepare documents, the knights became nervous, not sure what to say to Regina now that he was gone.
“You all…”
“Yes!”
“We’re listening!”
“Give us your orders!”
The knights shouted together as soon as Regina called out. She laughed at their eagerness.
‘So cute.’
It might not have fit their big, tough appearances, but she couldn’t help but smile.
The knights stared at her, speechless at her bright smile.
“Anything else you want to tell me?”
“No, nothing!”
Regina waved her hand elegantly.
“Then you may go.”
“Yes!”
The knights left all together, and the room became quiet. Regina thought:
“I have to make a reason nobody can argue with, so they’ll have to hand over the palace finances.”
To fix things in the palace, she had to reduce the number of Chloe’s people. If she didn’t control the money, she couldn’t fill the palace with her own people.
‘If not that, I should at least drive out the Grand Empress’s people.’
It didn’t make sense for servants to disrespect knights in the empire of swords. It would be just as absurd as mages being looked down on by servants in the mage empire, Permang.
Everyone should do their jobs in their place, and if someone steps out of line, their superior should fix it.
“Looks like I’ll need some rumors.”
Regina pulled the bell rope beside her, waiting for the maids.
“We came because you called, Your Majesty.”
“I heard that servants and maids from other palaces look down on the Emperor’s knights. Is it true?”
The maid bowed and answered.
“I’ve never heard the knights complain, but I’ve seen it myself.”
“Has the Grand Empress ever done anything about it?”
“No, she hasn’t.”
The maid answered surely. The others, sensing Regina’s intent, asked,
“Should we look into it?”
“Go ahead.”
Even with permission, the maids hesitated, as if there was something else they wanted to say. Regina asked kindly,
“Is there more you want to say?”
“Well, Your Majesty…”
One maid stepped forward.
“I think everyone else in the palace should know about this. The Grand Empress’s people are especially rude to the knights.”
“Are their ranks too high?”
“All the knights have noble rank too. Once you’re in the palace, rank shouldn’t matter, so that’s not the reason.”
The maid still seemed anxious.
“So, we should let people know.”
Regina answered the brave maid,
“Then, I allow it.”
