Free Web NovelChapter 24: Thirst for intimacy
"Miss Celestia, the butler is calling you for lunch with her majesty the Queen," said one of the servants, who was dressed as a housemaid.
"Tell them I’ll be there shortly," she replied, after which the servants left.
’Today there will be lunch with my older sister. It’s a rare occasion. I hope I please her, as I’ve trained very hard.’
Thinking about this, Celestia went with her guards to the large hall where lunches are most often held and where family members gather.
This hall impressed with its imperial grandeur: high vaulted ceilings were lost in the semi-darkness, while huge stained-glass windows cast multicolored reflections on the marble floor polished to a shine. In the center stood a long dining table made of carved oak, capable of seating several dozen guests, and along the walls stretched columns and expensive velvet sofas, creating a contrast between officialdom and luxurious comfort. The muffled footsteps of the guards echoed in this monumental emptiness.
’Has no one come yet?’ — she thought, looking around, and saw no one.
In any case, it was a usual occurrence — most often she was the first to arrive.
’Since no one is here, I can read a book on the sofa in the corner,’ — thinking this, she went to the corner where the sofa was positioned such that it was difficult to notice.
She opened the book and began to read; a smile appeared on her face.
’Oh, the main character is such a hottie and a romantic, how I wish he existed in the real world! But the female lead, as always, is stupid — she doesn’t notice his love. Still, a formulaic classic.’
’I wonder if in my life I’ll meet someone who will be like this main character?..’
’I remember that in my life I’ve never talked to guys, only to adults who were busy with business as managers and so on...’
’It doesn’t hurt to dream...’
"Her majesty the Queen is arriving!" — the butler’s voice rang out across the entire hall.
’Oh, dammit...’ — Celestia immediately hid the book behind the sofa so her sister wouldn’t notice and, of course, wouldn’t find out about her hobby.
She immediately ran to the table, bowed her head, and respectfully closed her eyes.
And immediately in that same second, the click of heels sounded from the large doors, echoing through this enormous hall. The Queen entered the hall with a confident and serious face but did not look toward her sister even once. She immediately sat on a chair, and a crowd of people with a heap of papers instantly clustered around her — they must have been important state documents.
’She must be very tired,’ Celestia thought.
But the princess stood without moving. The Queen didn’t even give the order to simply sit, treating her as if she weren’t in this room, as if she were a ghost.
"Your majesty the Queen, your younger sister is present here," said one of the associates who, it seemed, felt sorry for the princess.
The Queen lazily turned her head, scanned the hall, and only after that did she see the princess.
"Why have you been silent all this time? Don’t you have a tongue?" she began to scold her, as if all the blame was on Celestia.
"I simply decided that interrupting you would be disrespectful, and that is why I waited," she replied without anger and in a quiet, submissive voice.
"You’ve lived so many years, yet you don’t even know what is respect and what is not," the Queen replied just as quietly, without obvious aggression, but with chilling arrogance in her voice.
"Forgive me," she said, as there was nothing to answer, for any excuse could have angered the Queen even more.
’Everyone thinks she just didn’t notice me... How I would like to believe in that truth. But my older sister is the Queen, and she has colossal power. It is simply impossible for her not to notice me.’
’She is simply ignoring me. What if I had started the conversation myself?’
’Then that too would have been considered disrespectful, because I interrupted the conversation of adults... or would it not?’
’In any case, there is no point in thinking about it now.’
"Sit," the Queen tossed out briefly and quickly, after which she immediately continued talking to the people.
Celestia submissively sat at the massive table and waited in silence for her sister to finish her business.
Fifteen minutes passed in the monotonous rustling of papers and strict reports from advisors. Finally, all outsiders left the hall, the doors closed tightly, and the long-awaited lunch began. Servants noiselessly served exquisite dishes on porcelain plates and poured drinks into crystal glasses, yet the luxurious appearance of the food did not at all diffuse the tension hanging in the air.
"How is the training?" the Queen began the conversation, and, of course, they were the only thing she was interested in first and foremost. There wasn’t a drop of relative warmth in her voice.
"Everything is fine: I have reached 40% mastery in the Path of the Swordswoman," she said, looking only at her plate and not daring to raise her eyes.
"Do not stop. Our continent is one of the most respected among the five."
"Moreover, I am the Queen now, and if I happen to die — who will protect the continent? Other than you, I have no blood ties. And do you really think that with such skills and intellect you can control everything?" — the Queen asked, looking point-blank at her sister. Meanwhile, she ate her lunch very confidently and elegantly, as befits purebred aristocrats of the highest circle.
"You must be more... no, a thousand times smarter and stronger than you are now. In your current position, you can’t even control a single city, let alone an entire continent."
Saying these words, the Queen continued to press with her authority:
"But you know perfectly well that our only goal is to make our continent the most powerful and then begin absorbing others. This is not only our goal; it is the goal of other queens too. And do you think you are capable of withstanding their pressure?"
Princess Celestia did not answer... She could only eat in silence, feeling as though she couldn’t swallow a single bite. Of course, she had several reasons and statements in her mind, but she simply could not voice them — whether due to deep fear of her sister or something else.
"Talks are currently underway with one continent. We have decided to make a temporary peace agreement," — after these words from the Queen, Celestia was very surprised. Her spoon froze for a moment.
"Why?!"
"We lack certain resources, so we decided to make a mutually beneficial exchange," — the Queen cut her off, smoothly sipping from her glass as if it were a most ordinary and insignificant deal.
"I see," — she replied.
"And that is why you will go to study at the Vizentia Academy, which is located in Syoga. Since such a chance exists, it is better to study at one of the most prestigious academies."
’What, I’ll be studying on another continent?’
’Maybe this is my chance to finally meet other people?’
’But what if my sister finds out? She’ll punish me just like in childhood.’
’She is sending me with the goal that I will learn much there to improve the might of our continent, but if she doesn’t find out, maybe it’s not so bad... At least to find one friend, then I think it won’t be as scary as I think.’
She thought about various things and had already begun building bright plans, but at the same time, the Queen was looking directly at Celestia with a cold gaze.
"Celestia... you know that I am not sending you there to have fun?" — she asked, as if already guessing what the princess was thinking and wanting to do.
"Yes, I understand," she said, even ignoring her older sister’s gaze as if she were walking on air.
"Behave coldly and elegantly so that everyone feels our power, and if I hear even once that you are having fun there, blame yourself," — having said this, the Queen’s aura became very oppressive, and the princess literally felt physically ill.
"O-okay," — she said.
"By the way, I am disappointed in you..." — the Queen said, putting her spoon back in its place; it seemed she had finished breakfast.
"What have I done, milady?" — Celestia asked with surprise and fear.
"I found several books in your room," — having said this, she did not stop drilling her with a cold gaze.
"Fine, I would understand if these were books about art, but there are harems, romance, and moreover, in some books both the main character and the female lead are guys."
Celestia froze with fear because this was the last thing she had feared...
With all her heart, she did not want anyone to find her books, especially her older sister.
"Well, don’t worry. There will be no punishment," — having said these words, the Queen raised her glass and began to drink.
"Why?" — the princess asked, completely in surprise.
"It’s simple: instead of that, I simply ordered them to be burned," — having said these words, she smirked.
"W-what?!"
