Spaghetti Slap to the Emperor's Face
I'd been tense about the insult to my favorite character, but at the same time, I'd harbored a sliver of expectation. Arios had changed subtly now that she was a woman. So maybe Viol had too? I'd hoped her filthy personality might've improved a bit, but no such luck.
Viol Zadenbioum. The current emperor ruling this empire—officially the Zadenbioum Empire. And the unrivaled madwoman. At eighteen, she'd killed her predecessor, her own parents, and seized the throne. Ever since, she'd flaunted her rotten personality across the nation while playing emperor.
But separate from her bizarre temperament, she was competent at wielding imperial authority. That's why, despite the people's grumbling, no one had revolted and just left her be.
...Or so the setting went. Even that competence fell apart in the novel's latter half once she became obsessed with Seres and botched everything horribly.
"Hahaha!"
"What's so funny?"
Arios wrinkled her nose at the emperor, who was still cracking up. Even as the empire's top knight, she held no reverence for her sovereign.
"I can't understand what that woman's thinking."
"If we could, we'd be crazy too."
We whispered just out of earshot, watching to see what she'd do next.
"Ha... ha...?"
Then Viol's laughter cut off. Had she noticed us staring? Her gaze turned our way. Our eyes met.
"...."
"...."
Tension spiked in an instant. I braced myself, unsure of her reaction, but she showed none—just stared at me blankly, her amusement wiped clean.
"Seres, over here."
Ares stepped in, shielding me from view with her body and steering us elsewhere.
"You okay?"
In a secluded corner, I asked worriedly.
"She called for me, didn't she? I should at least go say hello."
I didn't want to, but she was the emperor. And the one who'd forcibly summoned me in the first place. I vaguely recalled the original story having Ares reluctantly introduce me.
"You only just started walking again yesterday. No need for us to approach first."
"But—"
"If she has business, she'll come to us. Whether we like it or not."
True enough. I stayed put in the corner, observing.
"Thank you for the invitation, Your Majesty."
One noblewoman greeted Viol with a stiff expression, like she didn't want to but had no choice as a noble facing the emperor.
Viol's eyes lit up at the sight of her.
"You're Viscountess Hanashian, right?"
"You remember me?"
"You were at the last ball. You approached me back then too, like it was your noble duty despite hating it. It was pathetic, but you had some guts, so you stuck in my mind."
"I... see."
Was that a compliment? An insult? Viscountess Hanashian responded awkwardly to the teasing tone.
And seeing that, some fool thought it was her chance.
"It's an honor to meet you. I'm Oliviel, second daughter of the Hasent Count family!"
In that disastrous atmosphere, Oliviel stepped forward. Probably figuring since the emperor remembered the previous greeter, she'd get remembered too if she introduced herself.
Delusion.
"Why are you talking to me? Who gave a mere count's second daughter permission to greet me on her own?"
"B-but the lady just now..."
"I spared her, so I have to spare you too? Is there a law like that? Why don't you make one yourself—become emperor and all."
"N-no! How could I dare!"
Oliviel's face crumpled. The nobles, myself included, pitied her. A count's family, sure, but probably from some backwater—she clearly didn't know what Viol was like.
The woman's whims boiled over like hot porridge; even in the same situation, her responses shifted with her mood.
'Please send me home now.'
'Why should I?'
'You said you'd let me go after thirty days!'
'Hmm, don't remember that.'
In the original, she'd toyed with Seres like that countless times. Most emperors, even villains, gained weight to their words, but not Viol. To her, everything was just toys to alleviate boredom.
Yet this woman kept staring at me? Even while toying with others like it was a game, her eyes stayed fixed on me in the corner.
What the hell? If she's interested, come over already—instead of just staring. Was she waiting for us to approach?
...That didn't seem like Viol.
"Seres, stop staring at that woman and try some of this."
Was she annoyed I was only watching someone else? Arios hurriedly shoved food my way to grab my attention.
That was when it happened.
Viol, who'd been eyeing me, suddenly narrowed her eyes and approached!
"I was starting to think I'd die of old age waiting."
She sneered right off the bat.
"If I invite you to a ball on purpose, you come greet me immediately."
"My apologies. I figured Your Majesty wouldn't appreciate presumptuous greetings."
Ares gave a light bow and made excuses.
"How could a mere vassal like me dare address the sovereign? With my son still recovering, I simply knew my place and stayed quiet."
"You always have a way with words. Just like always—professing loyalty with your mouth while looking down on me inside."
Viol glared at Ares with irritation. These two really didn't get along. Viol knew Ares would never truly be loyal to a lunatic like her. She tolerated it by separating public and private duty, but eventually, they'd clash over Seres and end in disaster.
But that time hadn't come yet, so Viol just shot Ares a brief glare before—
"Long time no see, Your Majesty..."
"You're Seres, right?"
She ignored Arios trying to speak and shoved her aside, addressing only me.
"What an honor to finally lay eyes on you."
She drawled exaggeratedly, mocking me.
"Truly the empire's greatest beauty. Even I, the emperor, rarely get such a sight."
"...I've been too ill to accept invitations until now."
"What a lovely voice! But you know, plenty of others refused to meet me using illness as an excuse."
As expected, she started picking fights. In the original, she'd done the same when Ares introduced Seres. No reason given—just her shitty personality spilling over onto Seres.
"That's rather harsh."
"Your Majesty, my son didn't mean to—"
As Arios and Ares jumped in to defend me, Viol eyed them unpleasantly.
"Why the overreaction? Can't I, the emperor, even speak to him?"
"Your Majesty, know your limits."
"...You're the one crossing them, Ares Huferion."
Mad red glint flashed in Viol's eyes.
Damn it! I jumped in fast.
"I'm fine, Mother—step back. It's an honor for His Majesty the Emperor to address me."
An honor my ass! I spouted bullshit to calm things and redirect her focus to me.
In the end, my few allies had no choice but to withdraw, leaving me alone with this lunatic.
"Must be nice for you. Born pretty, so everyone props you up and risks their lives defending you."
"It is."
"And now you're wielding holy power too? People treating you like a saint must feel great. Like the whole world belongs to you."
"Sure does."
"You gathered all your territory's people and healed them in public? Got your pathetic need for recognition filled right there."
"You got it."
Viol's face hardened, lips clamping shut. She'd wanted a reaction, but I had zero intention of giving one.
The original Seres was sickly and meek, but not so weak she'd stomach outright insults—even from the emperor. She'd slap her right across the face, no matter who.
That had been satisfying, but it fully hooked the woman's interest.
'No one's ever done this to me before.'
...No joke—she'd said exactly that and started obsessing over Seres. So I had to stay silent no matter what she said.
"Arios, that bitch visits your house every day? And that little act you two just pulled—you're surprisingly loose, huh."
This level of slander was nothing.
"Doesn't suit your pure looks at all. Though up close, you're not even that pretty. Too skinny, skin too pale. And Seres? Lame name."
...What did you say?
"Seres, you think slapping a pretty name on yourself makes you beautiful? Seres, Seres—what a stupid, slapped-on name. Suits your level perfectly. Seres."
"...."
"At least you're a guy. If you'd been born a girl, you'd be some idiot like that Oliviel—useless, sniveling after one slap. A female Seres? Pathetic incompetence, easy to imagine."
You.
Dare.
To mock Seres right in front of me?!
I knew she was doing it to get a rise out of me since I'd reacted before, but I couldn't hold back. Not you lot—not treating Seres like an idiot!!
I grabbed the spaghetti right beside me and smacked it across Viol's smug face!
The spaghetti slap silenced the room. Ares's eyes trembled. Arios covered her mouth. The other nobles froze.
"...No one's ever done this to me before."
Viol, face smeared with my flung spaghetti, recited her original line. Then added something not in the novel:
"And you'll be the last."