7 DEVIL'S TRAP: PART II

"Look what you've done!"

Athena checked who the person she had collided with. Seeing the furious and screaming girl just made her even annoyed of who she is.

"How dare you ruin the Princess dress?" One of the princess's maid servants said as she tried to add some fuel into the situation.

As Athena tried to calm the situation down by apologizing, "I apologize for your gr-"

What happened next not only surprised her but so was the rest of the people around them.

Athena was taken aback from the slap she received from the princess, Silvia panicked as she checked her cheeks. To think a princess would dare lay his hand on her. Even though she is a princess, one must never act in such a manner.

"To think his Holiness thinks so highly of you, you can even properly walk. I can't bear the fact you'll be my future sister-in-law."

"Anastasia, what happened?" The Queen asked all furious to see the situation.

"Mother, look what she'd done. Not only that, I cut my hand…" Princess Anastasia said with a pitiful and teary manner, causing everyone to feel sorry for her.

...Wait? What did she say? She cut her herself? What the f*ck is this b*tch talking about? When the f*ck did she cut herself when we accidentally only bump into each other. Girl, aren't you over exaggerating. I mean, you're not even a pure bloodline.

"Your Grace, it was an accident," Silvia explained as she tried to solve the situation without causing more harm to her young lady.

"Who are you going to get involve?" The Queen vented her anger after hearing what happened to the princess.

"Enough!" The Empress yelled all annoyed after seeing what just happened. She slowly approached as the people made way for her.

"My dear Empress, she has harmed one of your children. I beg you for justice, she is not fit to be the future Empress of the Empire." The Queen cried whilst acting all pitiful.

Hearing the Queen plead started a commotion as everyone soon spoke their own opinion about the situation. .

"She shouldn't be the Empress in the first place."

"Punish her for hurting the Princess."

"And to think she is a Saintess."

"What kind of child has House Adolphos raised?"

Athena stays calm and does not say a word, she dare not say a word for she has already stepped into the devil's trap. No matter what she says, no one will take her words seriously.

"Then, what do you wish to happen." The Empress asked despite knowing that the woman will ask something ridiculous of her.

"Give up the marriage between her and our son, at the same time send her away. She is in no use in our empire."

As expected, the woman did ask something ridiculous of her. However, what she asks is something everyone has been thinking about. The child is indeed useless and has done nothing to help the empire. Without her family, she holds no status at all in society.

"That's right, cancel the engagement."

"Sent her to the cold west of Zaeris Empire."

"No, to the Bulgarian Kingdom."

"Send her up North…"

The whole room was in silence after hearing someone mentioned North.

"She is the daughter of House Adolphus, you all should be careful of what you're saying." The Empress was shocked by what the people were spouting and continued to speak with anger in her voice, "As Lady Athena punished, I put her engagement with the crown prince on hold. I cannot approve of it without the Emperor's words. She is not to see the crown prince as well, and step out into society to attend any gatherings. She will only be allowed to join us once she reaches her coming of age."

Everyone then started murmuring to each other. Whispering as quietly as a mouse, to avoid the Empress wrath.

The Empress sighs regretfully for what she said. She felt she had made a big mistake. She calmed herself down as she softly said, "Are you pleased?"

"Thank you, dear sister."

"Thank you, mother."

"Now, Lady Ath-"

However, to their surprise the fragile and weak Athena they thought was suddenly so different in front of them. They suddenly felt such a strong aura, and the room felt cold and eerie. They all started looking at the girl whether she was the cause of such feelings.

"How dare you all gang up on me? I, who have done nothing from the beginning. Due to the fact, his Holiness blessed me with such a name, all of you day by day have threatened my life. To think one of you even dare send me up North." Athena looked at them and gave everyone a cold glare. It was almost as if Duke Adolphus was standing right in front of them.

"If that is what you wish for," She calmed herself down for a bit and added, "Then I shall leave the Empire and go up North. I'll rather leave there than be with any of you."

Despite the Empress' calm and sensible manner, she felt irritated by hearing what the girl was saying, "Then you shall be sent to the North, and as a punishment for defying an Imperial order, you shall go without any of your servants. You shall only return once you reach your coming of age."

"I don't even wish to return at all.." Athena said as she stormed out of the hall leaving everyone speechless from what just happened.

"Was that really the daughter of House Adolphus?"

"I swear, did the room suddenly turn cold or was that just me?"

"Man, I thought I was seeing Duke Adolphus all of the sudden."

The Empress looked at the child who was leaving the room with a big impact. She realized she just made a horrible mistake and now cannot undo it.

Due to what happened, the Empress decided to return to the palace with a heavy burden on her shoulder. On her way to her chamber, the queen consort called out for her.

"It seems something terrible must have happened? For you to suddenly return and with such a heavy look on your face."

The Empress did not deny it and was direct to the point, "I just ordered for the daughter of House Adolphus to be sent to the North."

"You what!?" The Queen Consort almost collapsed from what she just heard. The Empress hurriedly went to her side to assist her.

The lady in waiting all assisted as they brought her inside the room. The Queen Consort looked so pale from hearing the news.

"Do you realize what you've done?"

The Empress indeed knows what she has done. But it was already too late to undo it. She is indeed a wise empress, but to think she foolishly played along with the Queen's plan. She looked at the fragile Queen Consort and comforted her. "Don't worry too much about it, just take care of your health so one day you'll be able to bear a son."

The Queen Consort was still young. To be precise, she is half the age of the Empress. However, a few years after her marriage to the Emperor, she suddenly got sick and at the same time lost their first son. Since then, she has been weak and for no reason, unable to bear a child.

The Empress approved of the Queen Consort a lot for she is smart and wise despite her age. Yet, she who has more than the girl has made a terrible decision which might affect the stability of society.

"You do know what's up North?" The Queen Consort looked with concern to the empress.

"I do, I'll find a way to solve this. For now, get some rest."

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