"Did mom head over yet?" Aefia asked while handing over the list of the documents she had collected about the Count and his estate. It was majorly just stolen from his area and information collected from people who live there. And that was also just done with the help of a few maid servants who are from that area and was sent back a week ago to collect Intel.
Despite having the authority, she still went out of her way to get George do it for her. And in return, if the maid servants were able to complete the given task, she would get the reward of her wish... And that was the phone. Turns out, there was indeed an empire that had almost everything someone could find back at Earth, including cars. While they don't export much products, they did send over one with request, since it was a neighbouring empire that asked for it.
The small rectangular device was worth the price of a small village, and it was honestly just a game of bet that she had managed to get her hands onto one of these. If she could ever have an alliance with that empire, she would have at least ten just in case one snapped and broke. But to get one of these, the entire family had to go on a great trade with them, that they would lean in to help them in whatever problem they were in, and the fun fact was... The entire family had a phone for each one of them inside their vaults that they never used.
"Yes... She had taken her sweet time trying to look good... Only for an hour worth of meeting an enemy." He spoke while reading through the scribbles of the latest draft of the informations she had written down. "Well these are definitely some amazing evidence you have gotten here." A smile fell onto his face as he looked up at their 'brother' with the cloak still over her head.
"You can't blame someone who has a reputation to withhold along with her beauty you know? Woman in any universe prefer to look good over looking like a homeless broke person. Even some poor people won't hesitate to slap on some natural beauty products." She folded her arms in front of her, with the look of someone who was actually born a boy.
With a sigh, their eldest brother stood up. "Maybe I did accidentally switch your personalities too. How is the phone working? Seeing how you are glued to your screen, I might also think about unpacking mine." Placing his hands inside his pocket, he walked towards a shelf and pulled out a book, while placing the papers deep inside to avoid anyone finding them out.
"It's amazing... It is incredibly fast and the colour is not that bad, a holographic midnight blue... It is definitely my style." She spoke while pulling out her screen and checking the time. "Now who needs a pocket watch and an alarm clock if you have one of these?"
"Then I definitely need to open the box." He spoke while placing the book back. "Anyway... You said you wanted to see the Count's face. If you want to know how hideous he looks, you might need to charge out of here right now. I will look after the other two. And you must be back within the next fourty-five minutes if you don't want to get scolded by mom. Once a sibling is in trouble, the remaining are pulled in the same game along with the one who got punished. I am saying so to save you from an year worth of sandals."
"Oh don't worry. I can take more then one year worth of sandals." Aefia reassured while dropping the hands to her sides. "But may I ask you a question... I heard that the Imperial families use two calendars? Lewis was the first person to tell me that honestly."
"Well yes... We do use the English calender. If you want to know this too, the date corresponding to this day, is currently September tenth. And if you are still unaware, the Aglic Calender states we are in the third month. Both of the dates, you know them now."
"Oh, alright. And can I make a request for you to stay in the same room as the two others? Just so you know... They don't turn my space into a dumpster? Lewis already made a mad mess with the hair assessories about an hour ago." She spoke while scratching the back of her head. But honestly... Don't die in the meantime I am not around. Because that Count... He seems suspicious the way I had heard of him.
"Alright. This is the least I can do after you are doing the entire family a favour." He spoke while walking towards his desk to put the drawers back and watching her leave towards the door, then walking towards the guest hall. Before long, he stood in front of their sister's room doors and turned the knob.
Within the blink of an eye, a pillow flew towards his face with a soft 'buff' sound, and he stared at the state of the room. "Are you looking out to be murdered by her right now?!" He shouted at the two siblings fighting and pulling at each others hairs with tears escaping the little one's eyes. "He took my laptop!"
"Wait! I said I will give it back!" Lewis shouted back while rapidly closing the tabs. "And it's not that game I was playing alright! It was something else! The pastry one!" With a swift movement, he placed the laptop in front of their youngest brother again. "Here! Just take it back!" He shouted while standing up and walking over to the sofa area.
"Both of you! Just what do you think of yourselves when you know how short-tempered she is! She just told me to keep you both from breaking her room apart!" George shouted while holding the pillow and face-palming himself on the forehead. "Well I guess somethings are unavoidable... I should just leave you two to face her wrath then."
But just in time, the two siblings started scrambling throughout the room only to panic and put back where the things were. Although knowing how their sister could restore the state of the room with a snap, they still didn't want to go through the knife throws and screams and breaking tupperwares. But worse of all, she might take control over the delicious foods for the rest of the week or even month, and becoming pitiful with the next three days.
Within seconds, pillows went back to where they were, the laptop was put to charge and finally, they stood at the center of the room side by side as if to ask about the condition of the room. Or more specifically, their brother was already in a bad mood with the sudden havoc they had caused, so they were waiting for their punishments.
***
Boring... Boring... Aaaand... Boring. She sighed while walking through the hallway, looking through the stories she could find about just anything. Her finger hovered over the screen as she clicked the on and off button at the sides, with the screen flashing black and to a sleep state. I thought I was going to enjoy my time when I get my hands onto one of these. But looks like now it's a curse for me. Because... The first time Ms. Encyclopedia had destroyed it, I had turned myself in for a forbidden experiment with the other competitors too.
Secondly... My eyes are burning... And I don't know why. She stared at the ceiling while putting her phone back inside her pocket, with the text and columns appearing onto the ceiling for her. Now it has become something inescapable, the curse of a smartphone I guess? I really should think about putting a restriction to my screen time, but honestly... The last time I did it on my laptop... And I just clicked undo the next second and ate my sleep for a midnight snack. What if I have one of my siblings to help me with this screen addiction?
Most probably Henry... He is less likely to try and unlock my screen to see what I have been doing... Even when I don't have a contact to chat with... Or he isn't likely to use it when I have him keep it away, and he is also less likely to have it suffer a huge fall although it does seem to be a very durable phone. But what if I have my maid keep it? The last time I did it, back on Earth, she went out of her way to wash it with soap and water because it was heating up and my fingerprints were all over its surface.
With the ideas running through her mind, she looked down and to the side, to see her short boyish hair. Okay... I might as well hate it, but I want to keep it... But it is also free... But free things cost the most... And it works like a disguise.... And it's about to run out in the next fourty minutes... You know what? Nevermind. I just like the way it looks and I am overthinking it for the time being. I am facing the count... And this is the perfect excuse of being undercover.
Using her hands, she disheveled her short boyish hair and pulled the cloak down from her head. Well let's go and test our acting skills... Although it has been a long time I think I can guarantee this that I will be a slight bit successful in whatever I do. Only if I can guarantee a trap for him last minute like I always do, and he will be able to speak out the truth... Just that he is actually plotting something against this empire. Then my first part of the plan would be successful and the rest will be moving in a flow rate.
But even so... If the plan doesn't execute well... I will force it to execute well. Because who am I if I don't know how to manipulate other people's mind and what type of disgrace do I want to give my uncle if his years worth of training doesn't pay of? I murdered a lot of people with my own hands... So it shouldn't be a problem trying to murder my bully's father... Given that now I have everything... Authority, riches, power, position, family, protection and what not? Most importantantly... My phone.
With a smile on her face, she walked up towards the hallway, opposite to the one the duchess was going to come from. In fact, she wanted to be the fastest to reach there just so she could catch a glimpse of how the Count was as a person and why he wanted to place a trial with the name of the eldest of the family, and why he didn't hesitate to try and assassinate another member too. The main reason I need to outlook here is... Why does he want to crush the entire empire down?
Just when, the maids dropped the food items on the dining table in front of the Count, following that, immediately leaving the room empty as she had instructed them. Slowly, the man extended his hands in a rapid movement, pulling out a small packet of something. With a swift movement of his wrist, the powdery substance dropped onto the jug and his other hand stirred the spoon around to dissolve it before anyone came by and saw it. This was the first act she had seen, but she didn't have the time to pull out her phone and record it... Because she didn't need to do it in the first place.
"I am sorry to keep you waiting, Count." The duchess entered a short while after, with the same expression she had since the morning. Despite being at her mid-fourties, she still looked young and beautiful, most like she just graduated. "But I also hope it wasn't sudden, and the timing didn't cause you any disturbance?" She spoke with a smile at her face. Woman! Just get to it already! I have thirty minutes!
Frustruation hit Aefia as she silently panicked with the duchess telling the maids to pour out the liquid in the same jug he had placed the poison. "Without causing any delay, don't you think we should get right into the matter with the trading routes? You seem to have blocked one of them and insisted they have to change the way they travel if they want to keep their goods valid in front of the empire's citizens." While picking up her glass, she watched the Count's panic-struck face with her deep purplish eyes that both George and Henry had inherited.
"Well you see... The Banshees are still causing trouble in that route and the remainder of the still active people are wondering around and pulling cash out of the merchant's pockets. So without informing you, Your Highness, I had to change the routes for their safety." The Count replied with no stuttering at his voice.
Hey dumb man! Just say it that the Banshees are the propaganda you are using to feed off the money you have pocketed from those merchants! Aefia clicked her tongue with annoyance as she listened to try conversation, with her phone acting as a voice recorder. "But dear Duchess... Don't you think we shall have a toast to the success of stopping those scorny Mafias in that case?" With a sudden movement, he lifted his glass and brought in front of his face while watching the head of the house already on the verge of sipping it.
He grinned, and waited patiently.
"Mom! Why do you always have to leave me out of such delicious food?!"
Aefia shouted while sprinted towards the table, while trying to copy Lewis's expression as much as she could. "Shut up... The palace chefs don't work all day to keep you starving. Now take whatever you want and walk away." The duchess replied with an annoyed gaze, knowing something was wrong.
With a kiss to the cheek, Aefia glanced at the glass of the deep burgundy liquid. "Then I want this." She spoke while reaching out and holding onto the stem of the glass. Without hesitation, she watched the horror settle onto the Count's face as she took a sip of the liquid with a straight face and as if she didn't know what he had done.