Gregory laughed while leaning closer to Elara. His silly grin didn't match the cold and nasty look in his eyes. "If Your Highness likes it, I can go find more and send them over for you to try."
Elara glanced at him sideways but didn't move. She stayed relaxed and lazy, gently stroking the boy in her arms. Her chin lifted slightly as she replied in a lofty voice, as if granting him a favor.
"Alright. I haven't tried this kind before. Since you understand me so well, I'll accept your kindness."
Elara waved her hand. Uno, his face still covered, appeared behind her again.
"Go call in a few maids. Later, take all of them to the villa on the west side of the city. Wash them up and take good care of them. Once that's done, let me know so I can choose."
"Yes."
Even seeing how arrogant Elara looked after accepting the gifts, Gregory wasn't angry at all. In fact, her reaction made him even more excited.
He wasn't a good person to begin with. For people like him, only when others join in on the dirty business do they consider you one of their own.
That was how Gregory felt right now. The higher Elara held her nose while accepting the goods, the more thrilled he became.
He went off to bring in more guards and headed back to the city gate where the refugees were gathered. With a few pieces of stale bread, he tricked more beauties into coming.
To please Elara, this time most of the new ones were young men. Gregory chuckled and offered them all to her.
Elara accepted them without hesitation. However many he sent, she took them all.
Not far away, Oswyn twisted the vial of poison in his fingers faster and faster. His smile grew colder. Meanwhile, Elara pushed things further. Not only did she keep taking the handsome men, now she also began collecting attractive women.
Gregory was surprised for a moment to see her take interest in women too. But that feeling passed quickly. He was always into wild stuff himself. Otherwise, he wouldn't have found a pretty boy earlier. He just couldn't get excited about men, so he gave up.
But seeing the princess liking both genders made him even more excited.
After bringing in another group, he handed them all to Elara.
He was delighted to give, and she was happy to receive.
In just a short while, the maids she called were already lining up over ten people to be taken back to the villa.
Once Gregory thought it was enough, he tried to pull Elara aside, suggesting they do something more public and bold right there on the street.
But he didn't expect Elara to still want more. She showed no signs of stopping and kept taking everyone.
At first, he laughed and went along. But after the fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth groups were all taken, his face started to twitch.
With a forced smile, he asked, "Your Highness, isn't it enough? A few pieces of rotten vegetables are fine, but won't too many make you sick?"
Elara ran her hand over the soft skin of the boy in her arms and shook her head proudly. "No. I'm just getting started."
She waved again and took another batch of people from Gregory.
His expression began to fall apart. His small eyes grew colder.
"Your Highness isn't worried about getting a stomachache?"
Then, as if suddenly remembering something, he changed his face again and put on that dumb grin.
"I still have a few untouched, carefully trained beauties back at my estate. I promise they'll be very satisfying. You can whip them as much as you want. I'll send them to your palace in a few days. These common ones, maybe Your Highness shouldn't waste time on them."
Usually, if Gregory coaxed her like this, the old Elara would have followed his lead.
But today, she only gave him a sideways glance. "No. Today I'm very interested in these plain little veggies."
Then, before Gregory could speak again, she hugged the boy tighter and turned to look directly at him, smiling without kindness.
"What? Do I need your permission just to eat some plain greens today? Gregory, even your father Lord Gregory bowed down and obeyed me. He said whatever my brother and I want, we shall have. Was that a lie? Are you people lying to us?"
Her words sounded bratty, but they were also a reminder of the current power balance. Lord Gregory and his son still served the royal family despite holding most of the government power. There must be a reason.
Elara hadn't found all the details in her memories yet, but she could figure this much out: the Gregory family couldn't directly go against the royal family right now. They feared General Qi, who controlled half the army.
So no matter how arrogant she sounded, Elara knew Gregory wouldn't dare confront her.
She was right.
Gregory's face darkened, but only for two seconds. Then, forcing himself to smile, he bowed.
"How could I dare deceive you or His Majesty? I was just worried these plain vegetables would be unpleasant to your eyes. I was only thinking of you. Please don't misunderstand. My father and I are loyal to you and the emperor. Our hearts are pure as day."
Elara nodded proudly, then raised her hand in a gracious gesture.
"Fine. I won't mention this to my brother. But next time, if you make me uncomfortable again, I'll definitely go to the palace and tell him. After all, when your family needed something from us, we agreed right away. Now that it's our turn, you can't even spare me a few plain vegetables? Tsk. Just like those annoying commoners say, 'no good deed goes unpunished, kindness is wasted.' Hmm, I may not be good with words, but Gregory, I hope you don't turn out to be one of those ungrateful types. Go now. I still have more to choose from. Don't get in the way."
Gregory used all his strength to stop himself from hitting her. This woman had taken over his chair, his stage, and even dared to insult him while doing it.
He took several deep breaths. Finally, he forced himself to smile and bowed again, teeth clenched.
"Please take your time. But even if vegetables are tasty, too many can be hard to chew."
As he turned to leave with a flick of his sleeve, Elara suddenly looked back at him.
"What? Did you just call me greedy? So you were lying to me earlier, and now you're even insulting me to my face. You and your father really are lying dogs. I'm going to the palace right now!"
Gregory froze mid-step. He had to turn back and smile once more, bowing low.
"You must've misheard, Your Highness. I would never dare insult you. I was talking about myself, only myself."
Elara paused, then looked at the fat man in front of her, and her anger faded. She snuggled back into her chair, stroking the boy again and nodding.
"Hmm, true. At least you know yourself well. With all that fat, you must really be greedy. Probably eat more than pigs. That's why you're rounder than one. Oh wait, comparing you to a pig might be unfair. But don't be mad. My father once said that being round is a sign of good fortune. That's what I meant. You do look very blessed indeed."
Gregory trembled inside. He kept telling himself to be patient. As long as his father found that thing, the entire Plumera Kingdom would be theirs. When that day came, he'd make this woman pay.
He gave a stiff bow, turned and stormed off without another word.
Elara watched him walk away. Once he was gone, her arrogant look disappeared. She smirked coldly.
Gregory was gone, but the refugees didn't dare relax. This cruel princess still wasn't done choosing.
With no more distractions, Elara hugged the boy and leaned back again. Under all the nervous stares, she called the guards over to continue selecting people. Her expression showed she was not happy with the slow pace.
After throwing a small fit like the original Elara would, she finally summoned the head of the guards and gave an order: move all the refugees from the gate to her villa outside the west gate.
She still hadn't chosen enough. They were to be cleaned, dressed, and fed. Only then would she come to pick more.
She acted just like a hungry ghost obsessed with gobbling up all the plain greens.
The guard captain looked troubled. These people had been gathered here by Gregory for his own choosing. If the princess took them all, how could he explain that?