Prologue- Drifting Blossom

"Your Grace, His Majesty, the Emperor requested that you loan some funds to the Imperial Treasury, the war against the Zaterrian Theocracy is starting to strain the Treasury for domestic needs." Conrad said

"Tell Zachary, that the Ducal House of Quinzel, is willing to support the Empire in anyway it can during this war. However the taxes will be raised by 7% before next three weeks and the Ducal House of Quinzel expects a raise in its income. I am also will to bargain with him for anything of equal value."

"At once, your Grace."

In the Imperial Palace

" A SEVEN PERCENT INCREASE AND A RAISE, THAT WOMAN SHOULD HAVE DIED LAST WEEK. WHAT HAPPENED TO THE ASSASSIN!"

" Th- the last Imperial assassin died of poison, and the Black Serpent Assassins are all out of trained assassins the remainder of seasoned assassins have to stay behind to train the new recruits or else the Black Serpent Assassins and White Lotus Snake Spies will collapse completely."

"DAMN THAT WOMAN, IF SHE WANTED TO RULE THE EMPIRE ALL SHE HAD TO DO WAS KILL ME! THIS IS BEYOND HUMILIATING, THE IMPERIAL FAMILY IS A FIGUREHEAD, AND THE ROYAL HOUSES HAVE BEEN KISSING UP TO HER FOR ONE YEAR! SHE REFUSES TO ACCEPT THE MARRIAGE PROPOSAL AND THE RAISING OF HER HOUSE FROM DUCAL TO ROYAL AND PASS THE TITLE OF ARCHDUKE TO HER OLDER BROTHER AS A WOMAN SHOULD! SHE IS AN UPSET TO THE LONG STANDING AUTHORITY OF THE EMPEROR AND EMPIRE!

"Your Majesty, you could pass a public Imperial Decree stating her marriage to the Crimson Blossom Throne or better yet one with a foreign country after elevation to Archduchess. This way you can seal her authority or make it your own." Minister Darius was sweating in his pristine and pressed robes. The imperial family may not have held the absolute authority it once had since the rise of the House of Quinzel under it youngest and only reigning Duchess in the entirety of its history, in the prolonged absence of the two elder siblings. Yet despite the Imperial House unwilling need to kiss up to a 15 year old girl, they had remained the most powerful house in the land.

"If that is our approach then we cannot grant her anymore authority in the Empire, Lord Darius I believe you have brought forth the end of the war with the Zaterrian Theocracy."

"But the Pope has no interest in women let alone a Duchess with a taste for power, if anything she is an insult."

"Not for the misogynistic, chauvinist Emperor of the Milan, he likes to break women and his harem is in need of new dolls. Besides, the House of Quinzel is well known for its arrogant women."