Chapter 1: The Princess's Dream
As she watched Sienna leave, the Red King's radiant smile disappeared and only a chilly aura lingered.
"Did you find out?"
"Yes. On the way back from the Parliament meeting, the Princess was irritated with the busting activity and called for the head of the Ceremony Department."
Up till now, all of the parties were overseen by the Red King. This was the first time Sienna had brought forth an opposing opinion on the matter. Patricia had managed to brush past it this time, but it didn't guarantee that it wouldn't happen again in the future. Patricia clicked her tongue angrily.
"Is Count Dicken the head of the Ceremony Department?"
"Yes."
"He is such a frustrating person. He made such a fuss about the banquet that even the Princess noticed."
Even though he was a tactless and stuffy person, he knew when to kneel, so Patricia left him alone. In the end, he was useless and needed to be replaced.
'Let's see... Who would be a good choice?'
Patricia began to think of a replacement for the head of the Ceremony Department. She wasn't able to pick every person that worked in the Palace, but she had enough power to change the head of the Ceremony Department.
Before becoming the Red King, her name was Patricia Rimone. She was a daughter of Duke Rimone. The Rimone family was a powerhouse of the Holy Empire and one of the six ducal families.
'It will be troublesome if the Princess catches on to something like this again...'
Patricia didn't desire power in public. She even pretended she wasn't interested in politics. However, she had complete control over the household matters of the Imperial Palace. She had more influence over the staff of the Palace than even the Emperor himself.
In her own way, Patricia was also a player in the fight for power in the Empire, and power was something a parent wouldn't even share with their child. Patricia couldn't tolerate the Princess intruding on her sphere of influence.
What could she use to distract the Princess?
'I better rush the wedding preparations.'
Patricia began to pet the cat roughly, and the cat became surprised.
"Meow!"
Trying to twist its body out of her hands, the cat scratched Patricia's wrist with its claws. The ladies-in-waiting around Patricia let out gasps of shock. A red line appeared on Patricia's pale wrist. Patricia's face stiffened as she saw the faint drops of blood. She grabbed the cat by the scruff of its neck and threw it on the floor.
"Get rid of it."
A lady-in-waiting quickly grabbed the cat that was trying to run away. This cat would never catch the Red King's sight again. Another person wouldn't be able to raise it either. Patricia hated her possessions falling into the hands of others, even if she was planning on throwing it away.
A lady-in-waiting observed Patricia's expression as she cautiously informed her.
"Red King, Baron Alphon has accepted your call and is waiting for you."
Patricia showed interest in the news.
"When did he arrive?"
"It hasn't been long."
The lady-in-waiting didn't mention that Baron Alphon and the Princess had crossed paths. The Red King made sure to hide her lovers' identities from the Princess. The Red King believed she must appear to be a mother devoted to her daughter, repressing her personal desires. She wasn't aware of the fact that Sienna had known about it for a long time and was only pretending not to know.
The ladies-in-waiting were afraid of the Red King, so they often hid information from her in order to avoid raising hell. However, Patricia believed that she had total control over every person in the Palace, unaware of the gap in her influence.
With Patricia's permission, a blonde man entered the room. Baron Alphon fell to Patricia's feet. He caught her feet with his hands and kissed them. He was cautious as if he were handling precious jewels.
"You're getting more beautiful by the day, Red King."
"Stop joking. I'm no longer a flower in full bloom."
"That's not true. No other can match your graceful beauty."
The young man's eyes were full of ecstasy as he looked up at Patricia. One couldn't tell if he was truly drunk with Patricia's beauty or with the power of the Red King.
Either way, it didn't matter. Patricia had both beauty and power.
Patricia smiled at the young man's child-like face. Did he say he was twenty-two or twenty-three? Patricia enjoyed the fresh taste that came from the young ones. They were clumsy but strong. They didn't last long, but that could be improved with instruction.
"Miss Patricia!"
The aroused man rushed in. Patricia closed her eyes as her red lips curled into a smile.
Chapter 1: The Princess's Dream
As she watched Sienna leave, the Red King's radiant smile disappeared and only a chilly aura lingered.
"Did you find out?"
"Yes. On the way back from the Parliament meeting, the Princess was irritated with the busting activity and called for the head of the Ceremony Department."
Up till now, all of the parties were overseen by the Red King. This was the first time Sienna had brought forth an opposing opinion on the matter. Patricia had managed to brush past it this time, but it didn't guarantee that it wouldn't happen again in the future. Patricia clicked her tongue angrily.
"Is Count Dicken the head of the Ceremony Department?"
"Yes."
"He is such a frustrating person. He made such a fuss about the banquet that even the Princess noticed."
Even though he was a tactless and stuffy person, he knew when to kneel, so Patricia left him alone. In the end, he was useless and needed to be replaced.
'Let's see... Who would be a good choice?'
Patricia began to think of a replacement for the head of the Ceremony Department. She wasn't able to pick every person that worked in the Palace, but she had enough power to change the head of the Ceremony Department.
Before becoming the Red King, her name was Patricia Rimone. She was a daughter of Duke Rimone. The Rimone family was a powerhouse of the Holy Empire and one of the six ducal families.
'It will be troublesome if the Princess catches on to something like this again...'
Patricia didn't desire power in public. She even pretended she wasn't interested in politics. However, she had complete control over the household matters of the Imperial Palace. She had more influence over the staff of the Palace than even the Emperor himself.
In her own way, Patricia was also a player in the fight for power in the Empire, and power was something a parent wouldn't even share with their child. Patricia couldn't tolerate the Princess intruding on her sphere of influence.
What could she use to distract the Princess?
'I better rush the wedding preparations.'
Patricia began to pet the cat roughly, and the cat became surprised.
"Meow!"
Trying to twist its body out of her hands, the cat scratched Patricia's wrist with its claws. The ladies-in-waiting around Patricia let out gasps of shock. A red line appeared on Patricia's pale wrist. Patricia's face stiffened as she saw the faint drops of blood. She grabbed the cat by the scruff of its neck and threw it on the floor.
"Get rid of it."
A lady-in-waiting quickly grabbed the cat that was trying to run away. This cat would never catch the Red King's sight again. Another person wouldn't be able to raise it either. Patricia hated her possessions falling into the hands of others, even if she was planning on throwing it away.
A lady-in-waiting observed Patricia's expression as she cautiously informed her.
"Red King, Baron Alphon has accepted your call and is waiting for you."
Patricia showed interest in the news.
"When did he arrive?"
"It hasn't been long."
The lady-in-waiting didn't mention that Baron Alphon and the Princess had crossed paths. The Red King made sure to hide her lovers' identities from the Princess. The Red King believed she must appear to be a mother devoted to her daughter, repressing her personal desires. She wasn't aware of the fact that Sienna had known about it for a long time and was only pretending not to know.
The ladies-in-waiting were afraid of the Red King, so they often hid information from her in order to avoid raising hell. However, Patricia believed that she had total control over every person in the Palace, unaware of the gap in her influence.
With Patricia's permission, a blonde man entered the room. Baron Alphon fell to Patricia's feet. He caught her feet with his hands and kissed them. He was cautious as if he were handling precious jewels.
"You're getting more beautiful by the day, Red King."
"Stop joking. I'm no longer a flower in full bloom."
"That's not true. No other can match your graceful beauty."
The young man's eyes were full of ecstasy as he looked up at Patricia. One couldn't tell if he was truly drunk with Patricia's beauty or with the power of the Red King.
Either way, it didn't matter. Patricia had both beauty and power.
Patricia smiled at the young man's child-like face. Did he say he was twenty-two or twenty-three? Patricia enjoyed the fresh taste that came from the young ones. They were clumsy but strong. They didn't last long, but that could be improved with instruction.
"Miss Patricia!"
The aroused man rushed in. Patricia closed her eyes as her red lips curled into a smile.
