The Tyrant’s Last Doll

ice, like they were attached by a rope.

The office was in complete chaos.
There was a mountain of documents covering his desk.
Servants were running around, discussing various business issues.
The workers stopped for a few seconds to observe the newcomers, then returned to their work.

All I could think of was I was about to immerse myself in this chaos as well.
I took a deep breath, realizing the disaster I had brought upon myself.
But I felt happy that I would have something new to do.

“This is the office.
You come here each time, and I will give you the tasks for the day.” Ridrian smiled.
“How do you like the mansion, by the way?”

“It’s too much! Why did you get me such big mansion? Also, who made the entire interior gold? People think that you brought the palace and planted it there!”

I realized that this was not the best place for my outburst, as the attendees looked at me and whispered to each other.
Ridrian, however, kept calm.

“I understand how you feel.” Ridrian turned to Raven.
“Sounds like the workers followed their orders properly.
Please give them each another gold coin.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.” Raven bowed his head.

Ridrian hadn’t heard a word I said.
Instead, he simply went on as if I had been fine with everything.

***

“This is the least the royals can do after wrongfully destroying the Lesprey family.
Also, you haven’t been paid a dime since you worked.
Just think of it as compensation for that.”

“Work?” He considered my acting as his doll as work?

“It seemed like you liked the palace.
I felt the mansion should hold the same comfort, since you’ll be living there.”

“The attendees are taking good care of me,” I informed him

“That’s good.
You need to work hard here, from now on.
Therefore, you need good people taking care of your mansion.”

I flinched.
It felt like he was planning to keep me here through the excuse of work.
He wants it to seem as if nothing had changed.

Ridrian continued.
“We’re going to be invading Lucretia soon.
Also, we’ll be busy cleaning up the Marquis Shamalon case.
Raven, show her the ropes.”

“Since it’s your first day, I’ll instruct you on the simple tasks.
Come this way.” Raven led me to an empty desk in the back corner of the office.
There were writing utensils and a pad of paper for me to use.
I never thought that I’d be doing anything other than being a doll, but now I was working as an official attendee to the emperor.

Ravis turned to Ridrian.
“As I have now escorted the Viscount Lesprey here safely, I’ll take my leave to catch up on my work.
Your Majesty,” Ravis bowed.
When Ridrian didn’t take his eyes off the document he was studying, Ravis gave an irritated sigh and quietly left.

Dylan and Eris took a position behind me.
There were no other guards in the room but as the emperor didn’t say anything about them standing behind me, the other attendees also didn’t question it.
I still felt strange to have Eris here as a bodyguard when the man she was supposed to start a relationship with was standing right in front of her.