A fancy carriage passes through a luxurious golden gate carved with a large blue dragon emblem right at the center, it will split in half whenever the gate is wide open to welcome the guests, from this fancy gate another 15 minutes ride along the eye-catching flower garden are needed to reach the main palace by carriage.
'As expected of the Imperial Palace of the vastest continent'
Grizel said inwardly while observing the grandiose building beneath the azure sky where the rulers of the land reside for centuries, the symbol of power and wealth to inspire awe of the strongest nation, consists of several buildings within, and separated between outer Palace where the tops of ministry dwelling on their duties and the inner Palace where the Imperial family lives in.
She recalls the difference at her first time seeing the imperial palace when she robbed the tomb of Rex's ancestor, it was at the most desolate part of the palace, empty with nothing but meadows and far away from this flashy main building.
"Grizel, sorry I can't escort you to get down from the carriage"
Rex said as the white imperial horses stopped right in front of the outer palace's entrance.
"Of course, Your Highness. I don't want to hear the rumors of my fiance is having an affair with his man attendant right before the engagement party"
Grizel's teasing tone and her annoying smile succeed in worsen his mood at the beginning of the day.
Right now, Grizel and Levi are disguising themselves as Rex's men attendants with illusion to prevent the suspicion of the spies planted in the palace, and Grizel needed to keep a low profile before the engagement party.
As they walked in silence pretending to be a normal master and his servants, people are bowing to the Crown Prince when they are passing through the hallway heading towards the largest work chamber, the Emperor's workplace.
Knock! Knock!
"Your Majesty, His Highness the Imperial Crown Prince requested an audience"
Dion announced the arrival of the Prince after knocking on the huge door.
"Come in"
The voice was calm and authoritative befitting his role as the one who sits on the throne of the Azure empire, he is the adult version of the Crown Prince with the same reddish-blonde hair and dazzling citrine stone eyes, yet he frowned upon the Prince and his 2 attendants since he couldn't find his guest as soon as Dion closed the door.
"Where is my daughter-in-law?"
Before the embarrassed Rex could say something about his father's blunt remarks, Grizel steps in and bows gracefully as she negates her illusions which envelopes her and Levi.
"Please do pardon my impertinence, Your Majesty. My name is Lagertha Grizel Von Belial the daughter of the Belial house honored to make your acquaintance"
Emperor Drake widened his eyes in surprise, he thought no one can waver his opinion on the late Empress as the most beautiful woman, yet the little girl in front of him is already radiating the same grace as his late Empress at such a young age.
"Grizel, is it? now I know why is that child couldn't stop talking about you"
Emperor drake said teasing his blushing son, the always composed crown prince has given up to put on his gentleman mask in front of Grizel.
"Father!"
"I didn't notice his Highness has such a passionate hobby of talking about his fiancee with his Majesty"
As if pouring salt on his wounds, Grizel added another blow to answer back.
"Oh, can't you see that lovestruck eyes have been stealing glances at you discreetly?"
"Oh my~ isn't his Highness adorable?"
"Indeed, after all, this is his first lo-"
"Your Majesty, please be more mindful of your tight schedule"
Rex cuts abruptly before his dignity crumbling more than this in front of his future wife, he had lost his princely mask already, and couldn't afford to lose his dignity as a man either.
The Emperor and Grizel peek at each other grin slyly winning over the poor prideful Prince, both of them just meet a moment ago but sync perfectly as if long lost comrades, Drake who always failed to tease his stoic son never imagined that the day to see his son's sulking face finally comes.
Based on his son's report, the Miss in front of him is typical of a thorny flower, different from the kind-hearted late Empress whom he failed to protect, his son's fiancee has her way to survive the world independently even without Rex's protection, not to mention her intelligence to support her future husband, thus, Drake didn't need to worry of his son to feel the same pain of the failure to protect his loved one.
'They will stand equally to support and protect each other as the Emperor and the Empress of this nation'
Drake thought inwardly, at first, he was anxious about Grizel to outshine his son and betray Rex to seize the throne, but when he read her contract proposal, it was clear that she wanted to build a sturdy and long-term alliance with the Imperial family.
Moreover, one of the contract condition is the empire will keep her identity as an anonymous merchant in the future, means that she has no intention to be the limelight and choose to act from behind the stage.
But when he asked his son, he just sighs and casually answered...
"Father, it was easier for someone like her to control from the shadow, and based on her personality, she wouldn't do something like seizing the throne because she finds it troublesome, take a look at her parents, she chooses to keep them alive as her puppets to rule over the Belial Territory under her grip"
Emperor Drake thought if she planned to use his son as one of her puppets she wouldn't reveal her power and proposed an alliance with them or trying to gain their trust by using his close friend the former shadow Ex-Zero.
"No need to speak formally to your father-in-law and call me father whenever we are talking in private, Grizel"
He said while beckoning Grizel to take a seat on the couch in front of him.
"Yes, father"
Drake finds it interesting to tease his son which was reddening upon Grizel's casual answer, she is sitting on the couch with her Butler stood still behind her, Emperor Drake was informed that the Butler is not ordinary as well.
"Father, please allow my Butler to put the soundproof barrier within the chamber"
"Yes, please"
Snap!
Levi snapped his fingers to materialize the soundproof barrier when Grizel gave him a nod.
"You got a good subordinate here, Grizel"
He said amazed by the huge barrier envelopes his workplace, the biggest barrier he ever witnessed was only able to cover an adult-sized person.
"Thank you, father. He is my pride"
Levi who listens to his master's praise puffed up his chest while throwing a winner's smirk when Rex glance at him.
'This annoying Butler needs to realize that I will become his master as well once I married Grizel'
Rex takes his seat next to Grizel almost glued to her despite having a spacious couch, he looks at the Butler behind her with a huge visible smug grin, taking revenge.
Grizel just ignores the sparks between the two fools while sipping her tea casually.
"Milady, this is the copy of your contract proposal, I copied it myself but please check before you sign"
Dion said while giving Grizel the copy of her contract, it was copied by the Emperor's order when he approved it, one is for Grizel and the other is for the imperial secret archive.
Grizel examines the contract carefully and signed it when she was sure nothing suspicious added to the contract.
Now both parties are in agreement, she takes out of the 2 promised envelopes from her black storage.
"Thank you for your approval of my business project, Father"
She thanked the Emperor, with this she can move on to her next plan.
"Hahaha, it was quite a brilliant proposal to make the Imperial family as your business shield and hide your identity as the owner of the company"
Rex just laughs inwardly as he recalled his ridiculous plan to use Grizel as his shield to silence the annoying nobles, however, it was the Imperial family who becomes the shield of her future company.
'Not only me, but this fearless girl also dragged the Emperor himself as her shield, hahaha I can't believe there will be a time when I feel ashamed to be called a prodigy'
"I hope 30% of the total profit written in the contract could satisfy my father-in-law"
Grizel said smiling sweetly at the Emperor, she was reluctant to let go even 0.1% of her profit, but it is still bearable as long as she has a strong shield.
"Yes, I found 30% was generous of you regarding the revolutionary magic tools you are planning to sell, it will cause a huge commotion among merchants for sure"
Drake is talking about the imperfect blueprint of revolutionary magic tools invented by Grizel that was sent along with the contract, she purposely left the most important parts of the blueprint to prevent her ideas being stolen because there is no such a thing like copyright in this world yet.
The magic tools are created by the combination of her modern knowledge and ancient methods, even the Emperor called the master of craftsmanship to evaluate the blueprint.
"Have you find the craftsman to work on the project? Because the master who examined your blueprint keeps begging me to permit him working on it, ah don't misunderstand him, he is just overly passionate about his work as a craftsman"
"I have someone in mind, Father. But I won't refuse to accept any help of a master, moreover, a respectable Craftsman who work for the Imperial family"
"Hahaha, I'll make sure to give him this good news myself, his reaction will be hilarious"
"Father, this is what I promise you, but please be ready before you read the names inside this envelope"
She handed over the 2 envelopes which contain the culprit's name list along with the evidence.
The warm atmosphere not long ago has turned into anxiety as the Emperor opened the name of those who betrayed the nation and the ones who orchestrated the rebellion against the empire.
The whole chamber was drowned in silence when Emperor Drake is reading the traitors, spies, and their backers name list, it was a small paper consist of a few names listed but...
"This is not the internal disputes of Azure anymore"
The Emperor was pale blue and shaking in disbelief, the cold sweats on his forehead are getting visible.
Rex who is watching his father the one who sits on the highest position in this empire trembling like that couldn't help but frowned in confusion.
"Son..."
The Emperor said to Rex with his dreadful eyes.
"The Azure empire may perish"
To be continued...