“Please five her, Your Majesty.”
The noblewoman's words, carefully enunciated, hung in the air like a delicate zephyr, the underlying sarcasm as subtle as a cat on the prowl. However, the courtesy ione skillfully masked the bite, making it more of a pyful scratch at Burn than a full-fledged attack at Man.
"Pfft."
Burn's gaze snapped back towards Man, who was seemingly harnessing every iota of her strength to suppress a ugh. The urge to hurl his gss at her was almost overp.
It was a mismatch, a jarring csh of tones. His gruff demeanor was as out of pce amidst these women's theatrics as a wolf among prang deer. The trast was so stark, it would have been ical if it weren't so frustrating.
Fet that.
“Have you seen the White Dwarf?” Burn asked.
“GASP!” Man gasped at his words, ready for his topic, “It’s amazing, what the ic fuck?”
Burn sneered, “3%. 3 pert output—”
“Absolute bollocks—!” Momo leaned forward in amazement.
“I absorbed a bit more than 2%,” Burn cocked his with pride.
Momo almost squealed as she asked, “ you—”
“No. Nah,” Burn shook his head.
“ I—”
“Nuh-uh, Miss Momo. Nuh-uh,” Burn firmly decred.
“But how I study it if I don’t—I wan!” Momo demanded when Burn raised his index finger and showed her a miniature ball of densed heat. It immediately bent the light around it from the extreme temperature, causing Momo to sigh in awe and frustration, "Aw fuuuuuuuuuck..."
“What are you gonna do about it?” Burn teased.
“Are you expeg me to harvest a random White Dwarf and make a on out of it?” Momo hummed, “Eeeeeh, I don’t know, what methods would be perfect…”
“But nope, especially not for you or just to prove to you that I ,” Momo gestured elegantly sideways, her hand framing her uhe veil, her elbow leaning on the ha.
“I’ll just buy more when they’re on sale, then,” Burn sipped his wine.
“What? The White Dwarf?!” Momo flinched.
“Silly,” Burn smiled, his eyes subtly warmed at her innoce. “Everything’s on sale if you know where to buy it.”
“Your Majesty, are you going to bloody destroy—”
"I'm sorry, Your Majesty. Please five her. I'm not sure why there's an influx of rudeness and profanity around you today. Rest assured, I'll educate them appropriately," the woman who had previously prevented Man from sharing Burn's wierjected, a note of disapproval in her voice.
Burn's brows furrowed at this surprising rebuke. However, before he could manage a response, Man was on her feet. She casually gestured towards the exit door with her thumb, announg, "Your Majesty, I'mma dip."
Burwitched at her audacity, an unspoken irritation simmerih his stoic facade. Man was clearly leaving him to deal with the fallout, exiting the se as smoothly as she had e.
Her departure, devoid of any formal permission from him or anyone else, not only irked him but also offehe noblewome.
"W-who does she think she is?!" another noblewoman chimed in, her voice a mixture of astonishment and indignation.
"Marissa, you're so siderate. You stopped her before she could embarrass herself further," another woman ented. Meanwhile, Marissa remained posed, tinuing to pour Burn's wih practiced grace.
"And what was she wearing? This isn't some masquerade..." a voice murmured.
"Her dress is so st season too~!" another added, the gossip now in full swing.
"Pffft… hahahah…"
Their chatter came to an abrupt halt when Burn chuckled to himself. The world of women's politics was something he had never quite uood. But just when he was about to feel a twinge of sympathy for Man, her departure had given him a glimpse into the minds of these women.
What a dog-eat-dog world they lived in.
***
"Hehehehehe…" Momo's ughter echoed softly in the corridor as she sauntered away from the hall. It was only fitting, she mused, for monarchs like Burn to be surrounded by a gaggle of women, each vying for his attention.
Yet, it seemed Burn himself wasn't the one doing the gathering. No, the women themselves clustered around him of their own volition.
sidering the wine he'd ed, Burn would surely need a veritable army of these women to guide his possibly inebriated self back to his chambers ohe festivities cluded.
Momo couldn't help the wry smile that tugged at her lips as she envisiohe se. 'Good luck, dies,' she thought. 'May the best woman win. Amen.'
As Momo meahrough the corridor, she once again stumbled upon the painting.
Ah, this painting.
Upon seeing it again, she could dis that it was a different Man. It was Man Le Fay from a future three years henbsp;
The painting revealed a version of Man that was simultaneously ruthless and cold, yet elegant and breathtakingly beautiful.
Her features were etched with an icy determination, a sharp trast to the radiant elegahat highlighted her beauty. It aradox that somehow worked, a testament to Burn's artistic skills.
Her pose, a dynamic blend of weightlessness and strength, created an aura of invincibility and grace. It was as if she was suspended in time, a celestial being whose power was as immense as it was captivating.
Despite the strikiion of her future self, Man couldn't shake off a sense of shyness. It was somewhat jarring to see this version of her dispyed so promily in the corridor. It was like a mirror to a future she was yet to live, a visual prophecy that left her feeling exposed and oddly vulnerable.
"I'm gonna take it down," fuck Burn, Momo thought.
She reached out aly tugged at the frame, testing its weight and p the feasibility of a one-woma. Yes, she could probably ma. After all, how hard could it be to—
"What are you doing?!"
The sudden excmation from behind her was like a bucket of ice-cold water, halting her rebellious escapade mid-a. She resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Of course, she couldn't even pte painting theft in peace.
Momo turned, only to find the quartet of noblewomen who had been near Burn now standing behind her. In the middle stood the most radiant of them all, adorned with exquisite jewels that spoke volumes about her family's wealth and influence.
"Marissa, look at this," one of them excimed. "Just when you were about to graciously educate her, she's on the verge of another act of stupidity!"
"Don't you think she's beyond redemption?" another chimed in. "Perhaps you should advise His Majesty to administer punishment instead."
Ohe two women had fiheir entary, a silence desded. The trio of women waited expetly for the calm and elegant Marissa to speak, their expressions mirr the anticipation one feels when watg a drama about to reach its climax.
But before Momo could expin herself, Marissa broke the silence, her voice as soft as it was chilling.
"Do you know what that painting is?"
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