Divine Empress (COMPLETED)

Chapter Twenty-One

Raina's POV

“Please Divine Empress, forgive me, I had to make you look good, and… And I thought I could get away with it, just like you. Instead, I was Athede,” You Rina cried, kneeling down to the floor and was rubbing her palms together. “Please forgive me!”

Frowning my brows in confusion and staring at You Rina, I woke ten minutes ago and realised You Rina was not around. As I was about to freshen up from my nap, You Rina came in a rush, panting heavily, and was on her knees, begging for my forgiveness. “What are you talking about? Get up,” I stopped myself from laughing, slowly bending down to help her up.

She shook her head ‘no’, and still rubbed her palms, “please, Divine Empress, understand—”

I placed my finger on her lips and hushed her; she silenced and widely stared up at me. Closing my eyes, exhaled softly, gulped and opened my eyes, “You Rina…” I whispered, “what did you do? I mean… There’s nothing I could do to you?” I asked.

“Your Grace…” She nervously whispered back to me, “I invited His Imperial Grace to dinner with you…”

“Oh?” I stood back up, “… And? What did he say?”

Leaning back on her heels, pouting and her eyes looked around then she glanced back to me, taking a deep breath before breaking back into crying again, “I DON’T KNOW! I could not ask him personally; in fact I asked the Imperial Doctor San to ask for me. Oh, Divine Empress, please forgive me!” She cried again.

“Okay, okay…” I muttered, immediately grabbing You Rina’s arms and gently pulled her onto her feet. “Yeah, don’t stress about it. Just take a deep,” I ordered, and she listened—taking a deep breath. “And exhale…” She followed my order. Nodding, I ordered again, “inhale… and exhale… Inhale… exhale… Inhale… And exhale.”

She followed, finally looked calm, “are you okay?” I asked, and she nodded her head ‘yes’ while her eyes were closed. “You don’t worry about the Emperor coming, if he comes then luck is on your side, and if he doesn’t…” I shrugged, “… then what bad could happen.”

“But are you not worried about your position as Empress?”

“Should I?” She stayed silent; You Rina seriously over thinks things for a sixteen-year-old. I placed my hand on her shoulder to reassure her with a smile, “just go with the flow and cross your fingers.” I lifted my free hand and crossed my fingers.

“Divine Empress… What does that mean?” She nods to my crossed fingers, clearly looking confused.

I glanced to my hand then back to her, “it has two meanings in my world… Either hoping for luck on something or it could show lie. And right now, we’re using it for luck.”

Please don’t ask more….

“But how do you know if it’s for luck or lie?” Her head tilted like a curious pup.

“Huh… It depends on the person,” I nodded my head, agreeing with my quick response.

She nods her head, seemingly she understood me, “Divine Empress, how is it you have some much luck? Most like you have the God of luck and success, Tunsors, on your side.”

Come to think about everyone would say that, from how I would smartly talk my way into getting a job or should I say stupidly talk my way, even my career driven parents warned me that my luck in life will soon run out. But I here I am alive… In another world and as an Empress. I gasped in shock, realizing… “This is my bad luck!” I squealed, turning my gaze to a confused and worried You Rina. “My horrible week… Me getting teleported…” I gasped again, “me… getting married! This is the universe’s collective string of bad luck that I successfully avoided.”

Suddenly, unable to breathe, stumbled back—not falling over as I grabbed onto You Rina’s arm. This can’t be happening to me… WHY ME! I screamed in my head, I never asked for the generous luck—not that I’m complaining. In fact, I enjoyed how I could get away with everything until now… Glancing up, “UNIVERSE WHY DO YOU PUNISH ME LIKE THIS!” I screamed, “WHAT HAVE I DONE TO DESERVE THIS PUNISHMENT!?”

“Divine Empress?” You Rina called out to me.

Taking a long deep breath, I glanced at her with a smile, “yes?”

Awkwardly she cleared her throat and whispered, “are you okay, Your Grace?”

Although the universe has decided to collectively hit me with all kinds of worse luck my way because of my endless luck thrown my way, I could proudly say… “I’m okay…. In fact, I’m over the moon with joy by how everything turned out for. Don’t you agree?”

Furrowing her brows, staring at me in distract, “are you sure?” She asked again, studying me closely.

“How about you grab something strong for me to drink?” I answered with a question.

“But it’s still early?”

“In some parts of this world, it’s the right time…”

She stepped back, lifting her head and shook ‘no’, “Your Highness, I’m sorry but you must wait until dinner. His Grace, should not find a drunk or unconscious Empress.” She said, crossing her arms, she was putting her foot down at this point.

“But I’m your Empress,” I lifted my head, but she still stayed the same. I groaned and pouted, “okay! Just one… One short, that’s it until dinner. I promise.”

She shook her head, walking around me, “No, Your Highness. You don’t have time for that.” She said as she placed her hands on my shoulders and gently pushed towards my bed chambers. “We need to get you dressed for dinner.”

Trying to glance over my shoulder, “but I’m already dress?”

“No, you need to look your best for the dinner.”

“Why? It’s not like I’m trying to impress anyone… Am I?” She stayed silent, “You Rina, who am I trying to impress!?”

“Yourself, Your Imperial Highness.”

I felt a mischievous grin behind me, struggling to turn, “You Rina are you lying to your Empress!?” I heard her chuckle, “You Rina! Rina!”

You Rina and other palace servant took advantage of my confused and unbothered to fight back, so, I allowed them to dress me up for dinner. Should I seriously dress up for my food, food is food and at the end of the end, it will end up in my stomach. But at least it was a simple dress and was not tight, was comfortable to be in, like I was in a marshmallow cloud.

“Divine Empress,” a servant greeted, bowing to me as servants entered with many dishes in their hands, placing on the dining table. I grinned and taking a deep breath of the mouth-watering wonderful food. “Divine Empress,” bowing again before walking out the room.

Grabbing a spoon, I reached for this fantastic soup I fell in love with when I entered this palace. My spoon was close to the pot when the pot suddenly lifted from the table, I snapped my gaze at the person, seeing it was You Rina. “My love…” I whined, pouting my lips like a child about to cry.

She leaned forward, “Your Grace, you must wait for His Grace.” She whispered and placed the pot back in its spot.

“But You Rina, it’s dinnertime,” I said, leaning forward with my spoon reaching for the soup. Again, she lifted the pot and our gaze met, then she lifted an eyebrow, and I lifted an eyebrow, giving each other ‘what do you think you’re doing?’ look. “You Rina, you are getting too bold…”

“I learned from the best, Your Grace…”

Narrowing my gaze and wondered, not sure if I created a monster or not—is it wrong that I feel proud of myself? I sighed, leaning back on my chair and placed my spoon down, “you win this time.” I pouted, looking away, and fold my arms across my chest. “Just remember… I never forget,” I pouted.

Hearing You Rina chuckled under her breath as she placed the pot back again, I glanced at the pot from the corner of my eyes, imagine the tasty goodness of snow soup. Where is that man when you need him!? I groaned in my head.

“His Imperial Emperor has arrived!” Someone announced as I saw the Emperor entered, a smile grew on my lips as I saw an angel walked into this room.

“Your Grace,” I heard everyone around greet.

His crimson red eyes were on me, and he bowed, “Divine Empress.” He greeted.

“Thank God,” I said, quickly grabbed my spoon and reached for my soup, with my bowl in hand, and poured some soup into my bowl. I stopped, glanced from my bowl then pot, then glanced up at the Emperor who looked surprised, “you don’t like snow soup? Right?” I asked, realizing everyone was staring in my direction in shock. I glanced over my shoulders, making sure there was no one behind me then back at them, “what? You said I can have dinner when the Emperor is here. Well… His here.”

“You know what…” I murmured to myself, I stood up and placed my bowl with soup in it on the Emperor’s side, then grabbed the pot and placed it in front of me. Glanced up the Emperor, “why are you standing there? Have a sit and eat.” I pointed at the empty chair across from me, then went back to my love.

“Huh… Thanks,” I heard the Emperor said, as I drank some heavenly goodness. I hummed in delight, feeling the warmth of soup running down my throat. “You like snow soup?”

I glanced up, “what?”

“Snow soup... You like it?” He asked, while his Eunuch putting some pieces of dishes in the Emperor’s plate.

“Like is an understatement, I love it,” my eyes rolled up and sang gleefully. “My favourite dish in the palace.”

A slight smile flashed on his lips before quickly glancing down on his plate, “it’s good to hear you have something you find enjoying.”

Recalling You Rina rant early and asked, “I heard a Doctor came to see you in your palace, is everything alright?”

“It was a simple check-up,” he said, lifting his head. Narrowing my gaze on him, I felt like he was hiding something from me, but I did not want to push him to tell if he did feel like telling me. “Everything is well, I was overreacting. There’s nothing to worry.”

“Okay…” I muttered, and someone approached the table with a wine jug. I grinned as he poured the wine in the Emperor’s glass, then mine. Once he stepped back, I took hold of my glass and my gaze was on it, “I also love this wine… Even though its deadly, I still love it.” Turning my gaze to the Emperor and lifted my glass to his way. “Cheers?”

“What are we toasting to?” He asked, lifting his glass.

Shrugging my shoulders, “growing friendship?”

“To growing friendship,” he agreed, and our glass clicked, then we took our short, feeling the burn rushing down my throat. I groaned loudly, placing the glass down on the table and smiled over to the Emperor. His gaze and mine met for a spilt second, before he chuckled, “you are something…”

“Is that a bad thing or good?”

He stared at me, still had a smile, “I find it special because it is who you are.”

My smile widens by his words, “and you look good with a smile on your face.” He lifted his hand, felt his cheek, realising he was smiling. I chuckled, “why are you cute and handsome at the same time? That is an impossible breed.”

“I’m glad you find me both, cute and handsome…”