Taking over the imperial palace

''Have you noticed something chef?'' In the bustling kitchen within the imperial palace, a middle-aged man with a moustache in a white chef uniform could be seen dicing some vegetables with a sharp knife.

The dicing paused, and he lifted his gaze to one of his assistant chef. ''You mean the absence of rotten ingredients? Of course I have noticed them.'' He replied and returned to chopping the vegetables for the day's meal.

''I heard her majesty has taken over the management of the imperial palace over the past month.''

''I heard Viscount Heinz has been stripped off his title.''

''Good riddance.'' The assistant chefs discussed about the good change within the kitchen among themselves with the chef.

As workers in the kitchen, especially one for the imperial family, it was a happy occasion that they had stopped dealing with rotten ingredients.

****

''Your majesty, the chefs in the kitchen are pleased with your management.''

''It seems you have eyes and ears in the entire imperial palace, Leanna.''

''Anything for your majesty.''

''Uh-huh…''

In the office of the empress palace, Rose could be seen dipping the tip of a feather pen into the ink and scribbling over documents that needed her attention and signature.

''What about the head maid?''

''The head maid hasn't made any strange movement, your majesty.'' On the side, Leanna stood and reported every word that she had gotten from the servants that worked for her. Ever since her mistress had promoted her to the position of the head maid within the empress's palace, Leanna made sure to use the position to a good advantage.

The first was to have eyes and ears in the entire imperial palace. As a mere maid working in the empress palace, she wouldn't have been able to do this. Now that she was a head maid, other servants would flock to her side like bees attracted to honey.

They all had a goal, to be on her good side.

The fact that her mistress had gained a hand in the management of the imperial palace had also helped her in gaining servants to work for her.

''That's strange.'' Hearing the response, Rose murmured to herself. The head maid had not done anything? Perhaps she was overthinking too much or Leanna might be wrong somewhere.

''Your majesty is worried about the head maid?'' Leanna could guess what was on her mistress's mind.

''Just vigilant, Leanna.'' Rose replied, dropping the feather pen with a tired sigh. Finally, she was done with this batch of work.

'I didn't sign up for this…' Rose closed her eyes with a subtle groan. Her hand went over to her neck, and she gave the area a good massage.

'That queen…' Just thinking about the woman responsible for her predicament was enough for her heart to boil with rage.

Over the month, Rose had practically taken over the management of the imperial palace. However, it wasn't supposed to be that way. The emperor had made it clear that the management should be shared and it was done that way.

But not fairly.

The areas that demanded much attention and proper management had fallen into her hands while the other areas that demanded little to no attention had fallen into the queen's hand.

*Knock*

*Knock*

''Come in.'' In response to the knocking, Rose let down her hand and opened her eyes to the Grand chamberlain entering the office with some papers in his hands.

'And you are the reason….' Rose pursed her lips at the sight of the brown-haired man, just thinking how he was the one mainly responsible for her predicament.

This man had gone to meet the queen first for her to choose the areas that she wanted to manage in the imperial palace. It seemed in the eyes of everyone within the imperial palace, she was always second to the queen, but that did not bother her.

She wasn't the real empress anyway.

Afterwards, he came over to her with the leftovers from the queen. Leftovers that the queen had done severe damage and improper management over the years once she deeply looked into them.

'I wonder if you had known something…' Rose suddenly thought about the emperor. If the emperor had known about the queen's inability to manage the imperial palace, he should have just given the empress the power to manage the imperial palace from the beginning.

''Here's the budget lists of the incoming founder's day, your majesty.''

''Thank you, Grand chamberlain.'' Rose looked at the papers that Leanna had gotten for her from the grand chamberlain.

'Founder's day…' Memories of the previous founder's days resurfaced in her head.

The founder's day was a day to commemorate the days when the lands of the empire and the empire itself were founded.

The neighboring kingdoms would send envoys with numerous gifts. Some would send their princesses hoping for a marriage with the emperor. A banquet would also be held to celebrate the treaties between the empires and the founder's day itself.

However, for the current empress, it was not a day to be celebrated but another days of work for her, both before and after the event.

'I should get someone to work for me…' Rose thought, planning to return to her idle life as much as possible. It would have been nice if Leanna could assist her, but the latter was not that much of a literate. Maids like her were not taught to be that fluent in reading and writing.

''Do you need something else, grand chamberlain?'' Rose lifted her gaze from the budget lists to see the grand chamberlain still standing in front of her.

''Not at all, your majesty. Please don't forget to rest your body. Your health is of most importance in the imperial family.'' The man gave a respectful bow with a warm smile.

''If this empress's health was more important, you should have advised his majesty on the matters of the imperial palace.'' Rose wasn't subtle about her anger. She was cleaning up the big mess left by the queen's management and she wasn't pleased about it.

Who would ever be pleased with cleaning up messes done by another? Not herself!

Hearing that, the face of the grand chamberlain froze, understanding what the empress meant deeply by her words.

''Your majesty should punish this servant for failing the duties of an aide.'' The grand chamberlain remained in the bowing posture. Rather than using the pronoun as a noble, he addressed himself the same as commoners and maids do in front of the empress.

Indeed, he should have advised the emperor more about this matter. Over the years, the queen had been one with power over the management of the imperial palace.

However, it was he and the head maid that did most of the work, especially the important ones.

The queen, as a commoner, was not a good literate. Hence, it was very hard for her to understand the complications within the imperial palace. Though they had gotten tutors for her. The end result was like pouring water into a bowl with a giant hole in it.

It wasn't that the queen was dumb or a lazy person, but she just couldn't get the management of the imperial palace without a flaw.

If those flaws existed, it would throw off the balance within the management of the imperial palace.

When the emperor had married the empress, the grand chamberlain had been glad that the empress would solve the matters of the imperial palace. Noble ladies were equipped with lessons concerning their lives as future madams of a noble family.

However, the emperor had no plans of putting the empress in power. He and the head maid just had to deal with the management of the imperial palace alongside the queen.

Even with them around, some problems still escaped and occurred under their noses. Thankfully, the empress caught sight of each problem and solved them.

''Be glad that this empress is not your master, Grand chamberlain. You might have had a worse fate than the head maid.''

''Yes your majesty.'' The grand chamberlain lowered himself further when recalling the banishment of the head maid from the empress's palace.

The empress was definitely not a soft-hearted person when bestowing punishment. She just knew what could damage the perfect prestige of the head maid. It was the same as the Viscount Heinz and the other nobles working within the imperial palace that were stripped off their titles and beheaded without much commotion.

''You may leave and call the head maid on your way out.''

''As your majesty wishes.''

Rose watched as the grand chamberlain withdrew from the office. Once he was out of sight, she dropped the papers on the desk and relaxed her weight on the chair.

''Your majesty has worked hard. The imperial family is fortunate to have someone like your majesty.'' Leanna did not forget to compliment her mistress. In the maid's eyes, the imperial family was indeed fortunate to have someone like her mistress.

Only her mistress would clean up the messes done by the queen without a fuss, and get praises from each lips of the servants. Even the grand chamberlain, a strict and disciplined person by nature, cared for the health of her mistress.

''Indeed….'' Rose mumbled, feeling her mood lighter than before. At the beginning, it wasn't easy, especially when her words held no weight to the nobles and servants within the imperial palace.

Most of them looked down on her, probably because of the absence of the emperor's love. However, with Leanna's help, she was able to gather the evidences and execute punishments properly.

Now, the eyes of the servants changed within the imperial palace. Unlike before, they emit fear and anxiety when coming across her, probably with the fact that she had beheaded those who embezzled from the imperial treasury.

'Now I have to work harder.' Just as Rose's mood lightened up, it became heavier once more, just thinking of the founder's day coming up in a few weeks' time.

****

''Your majesty, the matter of the crown prince cannot be delayed any further.'' The court room within the imperial palace had a strange silence once those words came to light.