The Birth of the Empress - The Usurper of Power

Masonic Palace - Evening Firelight danced across the gilded chessboard as King Winfred Von captured his son's last bishop with a satisfied click of ivory on marble. Across from him, Crown Prince Werner Von slumped back in his chair, running agitated fingers through his already disheveled hair. "Young man," Winfred chuckled, exchanging an amused glance with Queen Sita. "You still have a lot to learn—that's why the gods give us sons to humble." Sita's knife never faltered as she peeled apples, the spiral of fruit skin curling like the tension coiling in the room. She offered slices to both men, her eyes lingering on Werner's whitened knuckles. Winfred crunched into the fruit with deliberate casualness. "Twenty-three years old... When I was your age, you were already squalling in your mother's arms." Juice dripped unheeded onto his beard. "Time you shouldered some real responsibility, boy. Unless you'd rather I remain chained to this throne until my bones creak?" The apple slice in Werner's hand paused midway to his lips—just for a heartbeat—before he tossed it back with forced nonchalance. "Father jokes so cruelly!" "Must I surrender my carefree days so soon?" He lay against the sofa cushions, but his fingers dug into the upholstery like claws. A log cracked in the fireplace. Winfred smiled into his tea. "Hunter." The valet's silent departure marked the turning point. Queen Sita's knife stilled. Prince Werner stared at the ceiling's frescoed battles, his carefully constructed mask of relaxation betrayed only by the eager gleam in his eyes—the look of a wolf scenting blood. Sita's gaze sharpened, her apple peel snapped. The doors swung open. Now, the room was so quiet that even the dropping of a pin could be heard, Werner still leaned his entire body against the sofa like he didn't care about anything. But if King Winfred were to look at his face right now, he would realize that his eyes were filled with eagerness and excitement, as well as a hint of complacency after his ploy had succeeded. Queen Sita, on the other hand, was tense, frowning and using her afterglow to survey the pretentiously relaxed Werner, her face grave as she contemplated something. As the door opened, the eyes of the crowd follow the sound, people followed Hunter coming inside in line--- there are the Duke Scott Edwards--the Minister of Military Affairs of the Palace、the Marquis Vito Cameron--the Chief of Palace Affairs 、 the Chief of Finance--Hollis Wilson 、 the Governor of the Palace Army--the Earl of Herbert Campbell, and the one who is at the end of the line, is a lady from east——Grace Lee, who is a Taoist abbot ，and doesn't have any title of nobility，but seems to be valued by the royal family. After saluting, they all stood aside and waited for Winfred's orders. Werner Von looked at Grace, who was the last to come in, and winked at her mischievously behind the back of the crowd. Grace only smiled lightly and continued to stand quietly and obediently. People had arrived. Winfred changed his loving face to Werner before, became majestic. He said to everyone. "The middle palace has been vacant for a long time. I am getting old, although there is still a long way to go until I abdicate, but at least, we can already consider training an 'assistant' now." The crowd looks at each other in disbelief as they hear this. Winfred continued, "Werner is 23 years old this year, a big boy, and it's time to learn some real skills. Besides, I'm not the only one who thinks it's time for Werner to go find a real wife and start a family，right？ The boy was born when I was twenty-three, which is like him now." Werner listened and protested. " Father! I want two more years of freedom. " Winfred looked lovingly at Werner and "made fun of" him. "Hahaha, the boy." Winfred patted Werner's shoulder and looked at his favorite son. Even the tone of the orders he gave to the crowd was much softer. " This little untalented kid, you people, please work hard to help him and mention him more, so that he can take advantage of these years to learn more skills. Besides, two days later I will officially release the edict for Werner to move into the Central Palace to formally announce the news. Before the edict is officially released, you should all refrain from spreading this matter. Immediately after that, Winfred said to Grace alone. " Sister Grace, this silly little one, is unenlightened, and has never told me that he has any crush on anyone, so please take the trouble to keep an eye on him, and introduce him to...you know, some ladies with compatible temperaments. It's time for him to grow up to be a grown-up. " Grace maintained a decent smile, “At your service, my King.” After that, Winfred dismissed the crowd, “OK, what has to be said has been said, since you are all mentally prepared for this, now you guys can leave. I'll go get some rest .” Then he turned his head to Sita and reminded. " My queen, serve me back to my room. ” It was only when she heard Winfred call out to her that Sita came back to her senses of shock. She took a deep breath and once again put up a gentle smile, stepping forward to take Winfred's arm in the appearance of a loving couple. The others at this moment all stood obediently on both sides, making a path for the two of them and their maids. Sita decently and tenderly bid farewell to all of them. When she passed by Werner, she watched him intentionally show a cynical and provocative smile to her. She tried her best to suppress her anger, behaved like a kind mother, kissed Werner's face intimately to say good night, then she followed Winfred to leave the room. The crowd saluted and watched the Empress leave, and then dispersed. Alone at last, Werner studied the abandoned chessboard and flipped the king piece onto its face.