Chapter 18: A Peacemaker’s Interruption

Stealing someone right to their face is the cruelest move. Yet, Isabella did just that! If only it had been known sooner, one might have simply unleashed a grand spell to flatten the entire palace…

“What do you mean by ‘come here’?”

Wang Xiaole was unaware of her own worth, so Isabella enlightened her:

“You are a talent. I wish to bestow upon you a noble title and appoint you as a member of my personal guard.”

That made perfect sense. It was a poaching attempt!

“To make a novice chef a royal guard, Your Majesty certainly has an audacious imagination.”

“One sometimes only discovers their true calling after trying it.”

Wang Xiaole observed Isabella’s expression, thinking, ‘The Empress is serious.’

For some matters, Wang Xiaole believed it best to display a decisive attitude:

“I won’t do it!”

Wang Xiaole failed to notice that the Sacred Maiden beside her nodded repeatedly upon hearing this reply. The beautiful face, now beaming with joy, resembled a blooming flower.

“To invite you upon our first meeting, I was perhaps too hasty… But Miss Xiaole, please don’t rush to a conclusion.”

To give up after a single refusal? What kind of talent recruitment would that be? Isabella had anticipated such a reaction, and she wasn’t disappointed in the slightest. Quite the opposite: the more a talent refused, the stronger her inner desire grew.

There’s a saying, “The best things are those you cannot have.” For Isabella, a few more words were needed: ‘The best things are those I cannot *currently* have!’

“Take some time, and consider this matter thoroughly.”

“Your Majesty, I believe there’s no need for consideration.”

As if she hadn’t heard Wang Xiaole’s words, Isabella subsequently bestowed upon her a privilege:

“From now on, you may enter and exit the Imperial Palace freely. There’s no need to feel constrained; consider this place your home.”

Isabella felt rather assured about Wang Xiaole. After all, from what she understood, Wang Xiaole had clashed with Uwe, who was the Regent Duke’s son. Through this incident, the Empress concluded that Wang Xiaole was not aligned with the Regent Duke.

What about Wang Xiaole’s relationship with the Papal State? Isabella believed she didn’t truly belong to them either. If she held a high position, perhaps, but a chef was merely an ordinary profession. Since Wang Xiaole was currently working in the kitchen, it indicated that the Imperial Kingdom didn’t value her highly, and their relationship was merely one of employment. A connection built solely on wages would not be difficult to sever.

Beyond offering better treatment, Isabella was more inclined to offer her genuine trust, intending to cultivate Wang Xiaole as a future confidante! For now, her task was to impress the other party to some extent.

Free access to the Imperial Palace was an immense honor, a privilege granted to very few. As for someone like Wang Xiaole, who received such special dispensation from the Empress upon their very first meeting, there was certainly no second individual to be found in the entire nation.

Isabella believed she had shown sincerity, yet Wang Xiaole was not particularly deferential.

“Your Majesty is busy with affairs of state, so I shall not disturb you further.”

Although the young woman on the throne’s expression began to stiffen, Wang Xiaole still had no intention of retracting her words:

“If there’s nothing else, may I take my leave?”

When had Isabella ever experienced such a string of direct rejections? While taken aback, her interest in Wang Xiaole only deepened. Furthermore, she began to conjure up some rather imaginative interpretations that didn’t quite align with reality. ‘I understand… If I give up after being rejected, it would merely prove that my sincerity is lacking.’

At nineteen, Isabella was already well-versed in the histories of various nations. She knew that during the age of kingdoms, a certain monarch from an Eastern land had repeatedly called upon a great talent. This individual, no matter how many times they failed, never gave up, finally moving the other party with their sincere heart. Isabella took the ancients as her role models. The flames in her heart blazed fiercely; a mere word or two of cold discouragement could not possibly extinguish that fervent spirit!

Time was running short. Soon, Isabella would fall under the curse’s influence, sinking into slumber at midnight. Before her active hours for the day ran out, she hoped to bridge the distance between herself and Wang Xiaole.

Mistaking Wang Xiaole’s refusal as a test of her resolve, Isabella drifted further and further in the wrong direction.

“The Imperial Garden holds a unique beauty at night; perhaps I could show you around?”

Isabella’s intention was to build rapport through conversation during a stroll in the garden. At this moment, she utterly misunderstood Wang Xiaole. The latter had no interest in working for an emperor.

Undeniably, Isabella was a breathtakingly perfect beauty, save for her chest. If she had extended this invitation right when Wang Xiaole first transmigrated, she might have agreed. But now, it was different. Speaking of beautiful maidens, wasn’t Cai one herself?

Due to Cai’s special care, Wang Xiaole held a high regard for the Sacred Maiden. If forced to choose between the two, she would undoubtedly opt to stay by Cai’s side. Even without such a dilemma, Wang Xiaole saw no reason to abandon her current life for a new environment she knew nothing about.

This was why, just a short while ago, Wang Xiaole had yearned to dine in the Imperial Palace, yet now she mentioned nothing of it. The cost of indulging that desire would be an extended stay in the palace, thereby increasing uncertainty. She feared being forcibly recruited by the Empress, which would disrupt the new life she was just beginning to grow accustomed to.

Alas, Isabella remained oblivious to Wang Xiaole’s true thoughts, believing only that Wang Xiaole was testing her. Mistaking genuine rejection for a trial of her sincerity, it was clear the two were operating on entirely different wavelengths.

It’s worth noting that a “third channel” existed here. Just as the Empress began her persistent entreaties, Cai raised a hand, a movement that immediately put Anlin on alert.

Boom!

The guards were focused on protecting the Empress, but the carpet beneath Isabella’s feet suffered terribly. With Cai’s swift incantation, a fireball shot forth, incinerating a portion of the velvet carpet and scorching the marble floor tiles beneath.

Incantation was a necessary, non-negotiable prerequisite for casting magic. The higher the tier of the spell, the longer the incantation required; yet, for the same spell, the more powerful the caster, the shorter the incantation time. Of course, none of this was truly important…

The crucial point now was this: due to Cai’s overtly hostile action, the knights arrayed on both sides had collectively raised their spears, locking onto her. In response, Wang Xiaole also entered a combat-ready stance.

In but an instant, the atmosphere in the hall grew taut and volatile. Not a ripple of emotion crossed Isabella’s face; she merely sought an explanation with her eyes.

“My apologies. I just saw a female mosquito flying about, and I was worried Her Majesty might get bitten…”

‘Fun fact: Male mosquitoes don’t bite; they feed primarily on nectar and plant sap, while female mosquitoes are the ones that feast on blood.’

Cai’s words certainly carried a double meaning, but if one didn’t overthink it, what she said wasn’t entirely incorrect.

“I merely intended to eliminate the mosquito, but I accidentally overdid it. I hope I haven’t caused Your Majesty any serious property damage.”

What an utterly innocent face she presented! Perhaps there truly were people in the world who would believe Cai’s outrageous lie. Did Isabella believe her? Well…

“It seems I’ve misunderstood you.”

Cai smiled, and Isabella returned the smile.

Immediately, Isabella conjured a sharp sword through shaping magic. With a ‘whoosh,’ the Empress appeared behind Cai, the sword in her hand having just been raised and then brought down. A strand of golden hair drifted to the floor, once a part of Cai’s locks.

“There were two mosquitoes. The other one intended to harm you, Sacred Maiden, so I took care of it…”

The afterimage of Isabella on the throne gradually faded at that moment.

Meanwhile, Cai turned around to see the Empress sporting an extremely provocative smile:

“It’s a pity I’m not proficient in swordsmanship; I accidentally injured the Sacred Maiden’s hair. My sincerest apologies.”

A huff of annoyance, a sneer of defiance.

Isabella’s recent action, if not exactly “forgetting their enmity,” could certainly be described as adding fuel to the fire! One side provoked, then the other retaliated, provoking right back. Perhaps this was the chain of hatred…

In the current atmosphere, it wouldn’t be impossible for the two women to start fighting directly the next second. Now, the only one who could stop them was…

“Calm down, both of you, calm down!”

Wang Xiaole stepped in as a peacemaker. She squeezed herself firmly into the gap between the two women, standing between them and forcing them to create some distance.

Only Wang Xiaole could mediate. For Cai, anything Wang Xiaole said, she would do, provided it was within her ability. From Isabella’s perspective, Wang Xiaole’s earlier actions hadn’t exactly shown deference. However, as the one trying to win over talent, the Empress wouldn’t mind overlooking what had just transpired, given an opportunity to save face for the other party.

“Fine.”

“So be it.”

Cai and Isabella chose to let the matter rest. Wang Xiaole, unaware perhaps, had just achieved a significant feat: successfully mediating a dispute between the Sacred Maiden and the Empress. This was far more impressive than merely dining in the Imperial Palace!

“Your Majesty mentioned the Imperial Garden is beautiful at night. I’ve suddenly taken an interest; I’ll accompany you to see it.”

With a forced smile, Wang Xiaole linked arms with Isabella, a gesture that struck Cai’s heart with immense impact. In that instant, the world in her eyes completely dimmed…

‘I won!’ Even without fully understanding what she had won, such a thought still bloomed in Isabella’s heart.

“Cai, this is your first time in the Imperial Palace too, isn’t it? Why don’t you also join us to see the Imperial Garden!”

If her left hand was taken, didn’t she still have her right? Knowing what needed to be done, her actions followed suit: Wang Xiaole very naturally linked arms with Cai.

This had to be done! Isabella had given her face, and in return, Wang Xiaole chose to accept her recent invitation. As for leaving Cai behind, first, Wang Xiaole couldn’t bear it, and second, she had a feeling something bad would happen. Therefore, the best solution was to take both of them to the Imperial Garden!

What she thought, she did. This formidable young woman, holding one person by each hand, led the two beautiful maidens out of the Throne Hall amidst their silent astonishment. The knights watched, dumbfounded.

Having received no orders from Her Majesty, Anlin remained. She stood in her original spot, her left hand supporting her right arm, her right hand propping up her cheek, and muttered to herself: ‘That scene just now… why did it look so much like a shameless philanderer, brazenly juggling two lovers at once…’