A Fitting Punishment
After Theodora confiscated all the books Joy had written, the Empress declared her very first imperial decree from the palace.
Anyone who writes or possesses Boys' Love literature henceforth shall be severely punished.
Of course, a sharp glare at Joy, who was whimpering beside her, silenced the princess instantly.
"Darling? What was that ban on BL novels earlier?" I asked out of curiosity after Theodora summoned Lucius to draft and proclaim the decree.
"Well... you see, Joy..."
Once I heard about what had transpired during their afternoon tea, my brow furrowed. "That's... a bit much."
No matter how adorable I found my sister-in-law, writing that kind of novel with Agrippa and me as the leads was crossing the line.
"Sigh... I'm sorry..." Theodora apologized in a dejected voice, as if she were the one at fault.
I offered a bitter smile. It wasn't like I could personally discipline my sister-in-law. Punishing a member of the imperial family... Even though I held the true power in the Empire, treating Joy too harshly was politically risky. The Emperor Faction would push back, and the public would find it hard to understand.
But then again, if I punished her for making me the protagonist of a bizarre, degenerate novel, wouldn't the citizens actually side with me? Come to think of it, that made sense. The people of the Empire despised homosexuality, and they especially loathed the idea of a proud noble of the Empire being... taken like a woman.
"So... in that novel, am I the top or the bottom?"
At my question, Theodora looked at me with utter confusion. "Top or bottom? What does that mean?"
How was I supposed to explain this? Even though she was legally my wife, explaining the concepts of inserting and receiving felt highly inappropriate.
"You know... there's the active male role, and the passive female role?"
Theodora pondered my words for a moment before replying. "Oh... I only glanced at it briefly, but... I think you were the top."
What a shame... I almost had a valid excuse to teach her a lesson.
In this Empire, a noble must never be the bottom. To be the bottom was seen as forfeiting one's manhood entirely. This was an era devoid of gender equality, a time when declaring men superior to women was publicly accepted without a second thought. If a proud Grand Duke of the Empire were depicted playing the female role... his honor and prestige would be utterly ruined.
"Sigh... Anyway, it's difficult for me to directly discipline my sister-in-law or punish the maids... You understand what I mean, right?"
Theodora nodded, a murderous glint flashing in her eyes. "Don't worry. Mother and I will take full responsibility and make sure Joy and those maids are thoroughly disciplined."
I nodded in agreement. An imperial princess writing BL novels was a far bigger issue than it seemed. For starters, the Holy See would surely lodge a formal protest. And if rumors started spreading, distorting my relationship with Agrippa into something bizarre... The mere thought of it was horrifying.
I'm counting on you, Mother-in-law.
"Seriously... have you lost your mind?"
Just thinking about Joy made my blood boil.
"An unmarried girl like you shouldn't even be reading such obscene novels, let alone writing them yourself! How do you expect to look your brother-in-law in the eye after writing this trash?" I threw the book to the floor, snapping at Joy who was kneeling before me.
"B-but... it's incredibly popular!" Joy whimpered.
My forehead creased in sheer exasperation. "This child is truly... beyond help. Head Maid! Are you outside?"
"Did you call, Your Imperial Highness?"
"Bring me a switch from outside."
"Yes, Your Imperial Highness. Right away."
"Uwah! M-Mom, I'm sorry!"
When was the last time I had held a switch? I hadn't beaten my children since they turned fourteen. Whenever they did something wrong, I had always tried to reason with them. I had done my best to shower them with love, but...
"What on earth is wrong with both you and Theodora..."
My head throbbed at the realization that one daughter was an Empress with a bizarre penchant for spanking, while my only other daughter, the princess, was writing novels about men embracing each other.
"Mom! Wait! Theodora reads weird books too! It's not fair that I'm the only one getting in trouble!"
My childish daughter's outburst filled me with despair. Theodora... don't tell me... on top of your spanking habit... you're also reading homosexual novels starring your own husband? A dark cloud of gloom settled over me at Joy's words.
"It's true! It's a book with a red leather cover! She lied and said you gave it to her, and she refused to show it to me. That proves it!"
A sudden wave of embarrassment washed over me. That red leather book was undoubtedly the intimacy manual I had given Theodora.
"Ahem... Are you really comparing yourself to Theodora? She is the Empress of the Empire. I can no longer raise a hand against her."
Joy protested indignantly. "H-how is that fair? She reads weird things too! Why am I the only one getting punished?"
"Then why don't you become the Empress instead?"
Creeeeak!
The door swung open roughly, and Theodora walked in, snapping at her sister. "Do you have any idea how miserable I am, working late every single night and barely getting any 'sleep' at night?"
Theodora's words instantly brightened my mood. Oh my... could it be... are they spending all night in bed? The maids had recently reported no signs of marital intimacy in Theodora's bedchamber... but hearing this, I felt a wave of relief, imagining the two of them passionately making love in some secret place. Thank goodness... our future grandchild is safe. Darling... I did it.
Though I felt immense relief and comfort, Theodora's words had crossed a line.
"Theodora! Watch your tongue... Are you suggesting your sister usurp the throne?" I scolded Theodora for her reckless words, but she quickly replied,
"Mother, I believe Joy has lived far too comfortable a life. She doesn't understand the heavy burden of the crown. That is why I plan to drag her to the Grand Duke's Office myself, so she can experience a fraction of that weight."
I couldn't quite comprehend her words. The weight of the crown? Experiencing it? "What do you mean by that?"
Theodora's eyes turned resolute. "Starting today, I am taking Joy to the Grand Duke's Office to make her work."
"Administrative duties?" Usually, imperial princes would observe the emperor's administrative duties and learn what they didn't know.
"Yes. Joy is currently the first in line to the imperial throne. In case of any unforeseen circumstances, she needs to learn statecraft. She must understand how cold the throne is, and how heavy the crown truly weighs."
Watching Theodora glare at Joy, I fell into deep thought. As the Empress Dowager, the elder of the family responsible for the imperial household, I had to weigh this carefully. Was this really acceptable? Balancing my maternal instincts with my duty as the matriarch of the imperial family, I finally reached a conclusion.
"Very well... Theodora. You are the Empress of this Empire, so teach her well. Let her learn how difficult it is to live as royalty."
Theodora nodded with a solemn expression. "Yes, Mother. Do not worry. Deviang and I will teach her very well."
I smiled warmly at her response. "Good. You have always been a wonderful older sister."
"Pfft... What? You're doing what with your sister?" I choked, utterly bewildered by Theodora's declaration.
"She will be working at the Grand Duke's Office starting today."
I glanced sideways at Joy, who was offering an awkward, strained smile, and let out a heavy sigh. "Even so... how could you just decide this on your own so suddenly?"
"Didn't I tell you earlier that I would discipline Joy thoroughly?"
I frowned, genuinely puzzled. "What does disciplining her have to do with working at the Grand Duke's Office?"
Theodora beamed brightly. "Of course it's related. If she works by your side, she won't get to sleep until two in the morning. If she doesn't finish her work by the deadline, she'll be nagged and hounded all day. She'll have to show up for work at nine in the morning, with absolutely no holidays. Wouldn't you call that severe punishment?"
I stared at her, completely dumbfounded by her radiant smile. Does she... think the Grand Duke's Office is some kind of correctional facility? Or is she just bitter that she has to work like a dog while her sister slacks off and writes BL novels?
Joy's face turned pale at Theodora's words.
"Huh...? S-Sister? I... I think I made a mistake. No, I definitely did! Can't you let me off just this once? Hehe...?"
"It's already too late, so give up."
Watching a blissfully happy Theodora and a despairing Joy, I realized something was fundamentally wrong. "Wait... why does everyone treat working at the highest administrative body of the Empire as a punishment? And why is she despairing like a prisoner being dragged to the gallows, instead of crying tears of gratitude for the opportunity?"
"Do you seriously not know?!"
"Your Grace, you truly have no conscience!"
Theodora and Lucius snapped at me simultaneously, looking at me as if I were some kind of monster.
"Uwah... this place is crazy..."
I sighed, caught between a despairing Joy and the glaring eyes of Theodora and Lucius. "Sigh... First, Theodora, you guide Joy. Lucius, is the current status report on the Information Department ready? What about the draft for next year's budget and the settlement for this year's?"
At my words, the frozen gears of the Grand Duke's Office began to grind back to life. And then...
"S-Save me!"
Joy's desperate screams echoed through the halls, but my head only throbbed as I watched Theodora silently drag her away by the hand. Joy isn't exactly the brightest... She's going to have a rough time.