"It is Queen Viya to you, you lowly, puffy fox." Viya stepped closer, her voice dropping to something dangerous and triumphant. "I am now the queen. Appointed by the deity himself."
She said it like she was announcing her ascension to heaven, like being named queen was the greatest honor the universe could bestow. Her entire face glowed with pride and superiority, her chin lifted high, her shoulders thrown back.
Wish forced herself to breathe. Her fists clenched so hard her nails drew blood from her palms. "Forgive me, Queen Viya. I wasn't aware of your new title. I apologize sincerely for the disrespect."
Viya's smile widened, satisfied and smug. "Much better." She began to circle Wish slowly, her eyes traveling up and down Wish's body with obvious disgust.
"Now. Tell me, Wish. You missed your sacred duty to the crown—the duty you are paid for, fed for, housed for—so you could go to the marketplace and praise your overfed, fat-filled, obese body for the entire realm to gawk at?"
Each word was designed to cut deep, and they did. But Wish held her ground, jaw clenched tight, refusing to give Viya the satisfaction of seeing her break.
"You know," Viya continued conversationally, examining her perfectly manicured nails, "I almost have to admire the sheer audacity. To stand in the middle of a crowded street and declare yourself desirable when you look like... well, like that."
She gestured vaguely at Wish's body, her nose wrinkling in distaste. "It takes a truly special kind of delusion. Or desperation. I haven't decided which yet."
Wish bit down on her tongue hard enough to taste copper. Don't respond. Don't give her ammunition. Just survive this. You can't die. Not yet.
"But delusion aside," Viya said briskly, snapping her fan open with a flourish, "you still have a job to do. And I am not a patient woman."
She turned sharply on her heel, her red hair whipping around. "You have five minutes to put on your uniform and meet me outside. Five minutes, Wish. Not six. Not seven. Five."
Wish's mother took a hesitant step forward, her voice small and frightened. "Queen Viya, please, she's still recovering from injuries—"
Wish never told them that after the sacrifice ritual, after she'd woken Aurex, he'd healed all her injuries. Probably because her injuries reflected onto him, and what god would want that?
"She looks perfectly healthy to me." Viya didn't even glance back. "Five minutes, or my guards will drag her out in whatever she's wearing—even if it's just her undergarments. And trust me, you don't want that kind of attention again. The video from yesterday was embarrassing enough."
She swept toward the door, her guards falling into perfect formation behind her. At the threshold, she paused and looked back over her shoulder. "Don't keep me waiting. I get terribly irritable when people waste my time."
The door slammed shut with enough force to rattle the walls.
For a moment, no one moved. No one breathed.
Then Vish struggled to her feet, clutching her swelling cheek. "Wish, don't go. She'll hurt you—"
"I have to." Wish turned to her sister, gently touching the angry red mark blooming across Vish's face. Her heart shattered looking at it. "I won't let you get hurt because of me again. Stay here. Ice your cheek."
Her mother grabbed Wish's arm desperately. "Wish, please—"
"I'll be fine, Mom." The lie tasted bitter. "I'll be back before dinner. I promise."
The system flickered to life.
[WARNING: ENTERING HIGH-RISK SITUATION]
[QUEEN VIYA'S HOSTILITY LEVEL: EXTREME]
[SURVIVAL PROBABILITY IN HER PRESENCE: 23%]
[RECOMMENDATION: AVOID ALL CONFRONTATION]
[SECONDARY RECOMMENDATION: DO NOT BE ALONE WITH HER]
"Thanks for nothing," Wish muttered, tying her hair back into a tight bun.
She took one last breath, squared her shoulders, and walked hurriedly to her room.
Oh I am doomed. I'm definitely going to die today. The plot must have scheduled this—Viya will probably kill me herself just for breathing wrong.
She burst the door open and walks to her closet, yanking it open with shaking hands. Her maid uniform hung there.
Wish changed quickly, her hands still trembling as she pulled on her maid uniform.
The black skirt fell just above her knees, shorter than most servants wore, with subtle silver embroidery along the hem depicting tiny crescent moons.
Small pockets were sewn discreetly into the sides, and delicate silver chains dangled from the waistband, clinking softly with each movement.
Tiny crystal beads were sewn along the pockets, catching the light whenever she moved.
The white halter-neck top tied behind her neck and left her shoulders completely bare, fitted and practical yet somehow elegant.
The palace crest sat embroidered over her heart in silver thread—a sun with numerous rays spreading outward. She pulled on her black boots, laced them tight, and took one last look in the mirror.
She looked like exactly what she was. A servant.
Wish stepped outside, her heart pounding so hard she could feel it in her throat.
Three other maids stood waiting in a neat line behind Queen Viya, their heads bowed respectfully, hands clasped in front of them.
They wore identical uniforms, each standing perfectly still, perfectly obedient.
Viya turned as Wish approached, her crimson eyes narrowing. "You took a lot of time out of my schedule. We should hurry."
"Yes, Queen Viya," Wish murmured, falling into line with the other maids.
Viya swept toward the carriage waiting at the road. It was clearly meant for royalty—polished black wood with the royal crest painted in gold on the doors.
Four white horses stood harnessed at the front, their coats gleaming, their manes braided with silver ribbons. The two bodyguards sat at the front driver's seat, reins already in hand.
Viya climbed into the carriage first, settling onto the velvet cushioned seat inside. The other three maids climbed in after her, sitting on the bench opposite.
Wish followed last, squeezing in beside them. The interior had plush purple cushions and polished wood panels—comfortable but not overly decorated. Functional for travel but elegant enough for a queen.
Viya arranged her skirts, then looked up at the driver. "Take us to the Lunar Bazaar first. The jeweler's district."
"Yes, Queen Viya," one of the guards replied.
The carriage lurched forward, the horses moving at a steady trot. Wish sat stiffly, trying to make herself as small as possible.
The other maids didn't speak, didn't even look at each other. They just stared at their laps, perfectly trained, perfectly silent.
Viya pulled out a small handheld mirror, checking her reflection and adjusting a strand of her red hair.
"I need to find a suitable gift for His Radiance Aurex," she said to no one in particular, her voice casual but laced with something possessive.
"Something that reflects both my status and my intentions."
Wish's stomach twisted. She's trying to seduce him? Do I even have a chance against her? She is...a queen and I am...well, I am nothing.
"The Lunar Bazaar has the finest jewelers in the realm," Viya continued, snapping her mirror shut.
"Custom pieces crafted by master artisans. I'm thinking something with sun motifs—golden, radiant, powerful. Something that will remind him of me every time he sees it."
She smiled to herself, clearly lost in some fantasy. Wish stared out the window, watching the city pass by as they moved through the streets.
People stopped and stared at the royal carriage, some bowing, others whispering among themselves.
The carriage slowed as they entered a district that looked like it had been dipped in gold and silver. Shops lined the streets, their windows displaying jewelry that probably cost more than Wish's family home.
Gemstones the size of fists sat on velvet cushions. Necklaces dripped with diamonds. Crowns sparkled behind enchanted glass.
"Stop here," Viya commanded.
The carriage came to a smooth halt in front of a shop with a sign reading "Celestial Creations" in flowing script. The windows displayed pieces that looked like they'd been crafted by the gods themselves—intricate, beautiful, breathtakingly expensive.
The guards jumped down and opened the carriage door. Viya stepped out gracefully, and the maids followed like shadows. Wish climbed out last, her eyes scanning the street nervously.