Lanqi and the Empress sat on opposite sides of an exquisitely carved dining table. The silver candelabrum at the center of the table looked dignified and solemn, but there were no candles burning atop it. The light outside the window was dim as well. Though it was clearly midday, scarcely any color was reflected off the vessels around them, and the air carried the hazy feel of an overcast, rainy day.
"Thank you, Your Majesty Kexiya."
Lanqi thanked the Empress.
After their brief exchange before the meal, the dining table fell silent once more for a long while. The attendants began serving dish after dish, while the two of them ate according to proper etiquette, each lost in their own thoughts.
By the time the clock had unknowingly turned through nearly half a circle, lunchtime had passed, and the attendants cleared the table until it looked just as it had before the meal.
Empress Kexiya gazed at the courtyard outside, where rain seemed about to fall, and remained silent for a moment.
"To be honest, I'm afraid of you, because no one can see through you."
She spoke frankly without looking at Lanqi.
"I heard your speech yesterday. It was excellent. To be honest, I was inspired by you, but I was also even more afraid—afraid that appointing you in the first place was a mistake."
She did not know whether she should say these things to Lanqi Wilford. Unable to find another topic, she could only speak her honest thoughts.
"In your eyes, am I more frightening, or is the Honing Empire more frightening?"
Lanqi asked.
"..."
Empress Kexiya did not answer.
Objectively speaking, she actually felt that the man before her was nowhere near as frightening as the Honing Empire. There was no suspense in that question.
But