In the imperial capital of the Star Empire, inside the magnificent palace.
Jacob, now formally enthroned as emperor, was gradually getting used to state affairs. In the study atop the tower, he carefully read through the endless scrolls of official reports arriving from every corner of the empire. A faint weariness showed on his face. From time to time he paused to sip some coffee, then plunged back into his work.
A year ago he had merely been a kitchen helper in a city lord’s mansion; the biggest decision of his day was potatoes, chicken, or carrots. Now he had to steer the course of an entire empire and deal with nobles and power brokers. The unpredictability of fate was truly something.
The weather had turned cooler. A light rain this morning had brought a damp chill. Feeling a little cold, Jacob stood to close the tower window. Outside, fallen leaves lay wet on the ground of the Star Garden, while maids and servants busied themselves with the cleaning.
He stretched, yawned widely.
Being emperor sounded glorious, the ultimate authority in the land, but only after taking the throne did Jacob realise the immense pressure, responsibility, and the skill required to read and control the old foxes at the imperial council. He found himself admiring the late emperor more and more. He wondered where the old man had gone.
“Your Majesty, Lady Dani wishes to see you,” a personal attendant entered the study and announced softly.
“Let her in,” Jacob replied, a tired smile breaking across his face.
Moments later Dani entered, dressed in an ornate gown, followed by two maids and a stern-faced elderly matron. Although Dani was Jacob’s future empress and had stood beside him as such during his coronation, their wedding had to be a grand affair at an auspicious time. The formal marriage would still be some time away.
During this period Dani was required to study palace etiquette under the matron’s guidance: how to walk, how to behave, even how to manage her facial expressions. These were courtly arts that the naturally carefree Dani had always lacked.
“Everyone leave us,” Jacob ordered the maids and attendants in the room.
The matron’s expression grew grave. “Your Majesty, being alone with the future empress is against protocol…”
“What’s against protocol? Dani and I were alone together all the time before. What difference does it make now?” Jacob immediately put on the stern imperial face he had been practising, giving the matron a cold glance.
The matron bowed in alarm and said no more. She withdrew with the others.
The door closed. Dani instantly relaxed, flashed Jacob a mischievous grin, kicked off her heavy noble boots, lifted her skirts, and complained as she walked to the desk. “I’m exhausted! Being empress is no fun at all. Too many rules. And I have to remember the names of every noble and their wives. I was forced to memorise that stuff as a child. I hated it.”
“Your position is different now. Didn’t you used to dream of becoming empress?” Jacob said with a laugh. He knew Dani was being kept on a restricted diet (an elegant noble lady must never eat greedily), so she was usually hungry. He pushed a plate of pastries towards her.
Dani instantly pinched one and popped it into her mouth, chewing happily. “I only dreamed about it because I thought no one would dare boss me around once I was empress. Who knew there’d be even more rules? Total rip-off. I wish I could keep adventuring with Mr Ye Chui instead.”
Hearing that, Jacob sighed too. How he wished he could continue adventuring with Ye Chui and the others. With them, every day brought strange and wonderful events. Dangerous, yes, but they always came through safely and created priceless memories. That was the joy of adventure.
He sighed. “I wonder how the Guild Master and the others are doing. We haven’t heard anything.”
“They’re definitely turning the Tidal Empire upside down! Before she left, Sister Debbie said she was going to become Pirate King. Right now they must be sailing the high seas, charging straight towards that goal!” Dani declared confidently, half-lying across the desk while steadily working through the pastries one by one.
“Pirate King, really…” Jacob shook his head with a smile. A few days ago he had personally interrogated the Tidal Empire envoy. The envoy had mentioned the Pirate King and Pirate Emperor titles Ye Chui had brought up during his own interrogation, but the envoy had never heard of such things. The titles meant nothing. Thinking of the three great pirate crews and the Sea Angel the envoy had mentioned, Jacob’s expression grew worried again. “Still, the Tidal Empire is different from the Star Empire. It’s far more dangerous, nothing like the perils the Guild Master has faced before. I’m actually a bit concerned for them…”
As he spoke, hurried footsteps sounded outside. An attendant’s voice called, “Prince Gale…”
“Is Jacob in there? I need to speak with him.” The study door was pushed open without ceremony.
Prince Gale’s status allowed him to see Jacob without announcement.
Dani jumped at the sound of his voice. Gale was the one overseeing her etiquette lessons. She always felt guilty around the stern old man. Now she was sneaking a break at Jacob’s, so in her panic the pastry plate clattered to the floor. She quickly crouched to pick it up. Hearing footsteps approach, Dani’s eyes spun, and she simply stayed under the desk, clutching the plate and tugging Jacob’s robe to signal she was hiding and did not want to face Prince Gale.
Jacob looked awkward, glancing at Gale while hurriedly straightening his clothes.
Gale had clearly rushed over with important news. He was about to speak when he noticed Jacob’s odd behaviour and saw Jacob’s eyes darting towards the desk…
“Prince Gale, what brings you here?” Jacob asked, trying to sound calm.
“Ah, it concerns news of Ye Chui and the others. I’ve just received word that they are now…” Gale began.
“News of Mr Ye Chui and Sister Debbie?” Before Jacob could finish, Dani shot upright from under the desk, mouth still full of food, hand over her lips as she chewed.
“Dani!” Gale’s eyes widened. “You… what were you doing under the desk…”
Jacob’s earlier discomfort and Dani’s current attempt to speak through a full mouth instantly led Gale to imagine something highly improper. Young people these days…
He glanced at the closed door, then adopted a grave tone. “Dani, this is outrageous! If word got out… you, you…”
Dani gave an embarrassed, adorable smile. “I was really hungry.”
“Hungry? Even if you’re hungry you can’t…” Gale felt faint. This was beyond improper.
“Jacob has really good snacks here. Would you like some, Prince Gale?” Dani bent to retrieve the plate still on the floor, which lay beneath Jacob’s robe, so her first move was to lift the robe…
“Enough!” Gale interrupted furiously. “You two, how could you treat me like this… It seems we need several more matrons to teach you proper behaviour!”
“No, please don’t…” Dani had not expected her snack craving to anger Gale this much. Her face filled with urgency.
Jacob felt Gale was overreacting and spoke up for Dani. “I told her to eat. If anyone is at fault, it’s me. Don’t blame Dani, Prince Gale.”
“You, you…” Gale clutched his chest, breathing heavily. “Jacob, how could you… you…”
“Prince Gale, never mind that. What’s the news about Mr Ye Chui and the others?” Dani quickly changed the subject, eager to hear about the group.
Gale swallowed his indignation and explained. “The information I just received: in just the past few days they have caused absolute chaos in the Gorge Sea. I always knew they were good at stirring things up, but this time they’ve shocked even me.” A different expression crossed his face. “They killed the Sea Angel, lifted the curse on the undead monks, wiped out the Ocean Goddess pirate crew, and somehow Sister Debbie has become the Pirate King. She appears to command the White Ship mythical beast of the Twelve. The Red Beard, Black Sail, and Watchers pirate crews now all obey her orders. Ye Chui is calling himself the man of the Pirate King, the Pirate Emperor.”
In less than ten days, every single thing they had done was world-shaking. And they had clearly forgotten Gale’s earlier instruction to keep a low profile…
Yesterday the tsunami caused by Ye Chui blowing up the Sea Angel had reached all the way to the borders of the Morning Wind Empire, causing considerable disruption and reportedly flooding a large coastal cathedral by mistake.
Jacob and Dani both looked astonished, then their expressions shifted to: Yes, this is exactly the style of the Random Magic Guild! The Guild Master is still the Guild Master!
“With the three great pirate crews supporting them and Sister Debbie controlling the White Ship beast, resolving the rebellion in the Tidal Empire should be much easier. We chose the right people,” Gale said cheerfully, then turned serious again, fixing Jacob and Dani with a stare. “But first, your behaviour is utterly lacking in decorum. Hiding under the desk to eat…” While he spoke, Dani had swiftly retrieved the fallen plate. A few pastries remained untouched on it. Seeing them, Gale froze. “…pastries?”
Dani put on her most winning smile. After everything Ye Chui and the others had achieved, what was wrong with her sneaking a few pastries? She popped another into her mouth and continued, “I was starving. When you suddenly came in you scared me, so I hid under the desk. Since Mr Ye Chui has done such amazing things, let it slide just this once, pretty please?”
“Er… pastries…” Gale looked dazed. “You were hiding underneath eating pastries?”
“Yes, what else?” Jacob and Dani asked in unison, puzzled.
“Haha, nothing, nothing! Eating a few pastries is perfectly fine. Just don’t be so greedy next time, hehehe…” Gale laughed awkwardly to cover his embarrassment.
Jacob and Dani: “????”
