Chương 19: Chapter Eighteen: Off To A slow Start

Oh my god. Niathe bounces me in her arms and I'm ninety percent sure she does it out of boredom. Dorothea looks utterly enamored with his excellence and agrees with everything the Duke says with just her expressions and nonverbal cues. That's an actress right there. No wonder he loves her. She's the perfect hype woman. Look at those expressions. If only they had movies here. Or televisions. I miss soap operas.

"So without further ado…" Finally.

"Let the gift-giving commence!" The audience erupted with applause and I clapped too. Thank god and everything holy that it's over. My ears almost melted. Go back to being a quiet piece of shit, please. Coincidentally he turned around, saw me clapping, and beamed at me. He bragged to his adoring wife." Hah. Look who also likes my speeches. Still got it." She sang a similar tune to his one-man show." You never lost it. Husband, that was wonderful!" Hadrian snorted and covered it with a cough. My lip twitches.

Niathe mhms her way out of it while holding me. Druvis looks moved to tears by the speech and Meng Jialin is… sharpening a butterknife. What an icon. How on earth did he bag all of these women? Druvis was an arranged marriage. Dorothea well she's probably a smart cookie who realized how pathetically in love with himself this man is and latched onto him. But Hadrian and Meng Jialin? What the hell did he do to them? You know what? Meng Jialin, I'll give you a pass. Technically my grandmother did this to you.

Hadrian though. Why? Him? Really?

"Ria! Come here. Please!" Harley made puppy eyes towards Niathe and she relented by giving me to Harley.

"Don't go too far."

"Ok! Thank you! Ok, let's go to the table together. Come on guys!" All of the kids except Eris and Derrick rushed to the present table with us. Harley explained the rules of the table to me.

"Once a gift is placed on this table it can't be taken back. So whatever's here is yours forever. Now each box is different and unlabeled. So there's no chance of cheating. Once all of the boxes have been opened you can choose your top three favorites. The gifters will then receive a cash prize separate from the—""Shh."

"Harley no!"

"Oh right. Sorry. Anyway, those are the rules. Want us to help you open them?" I nodded while internally questioning Penguin. So which is it? Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Scanning… The other kids, including Erichean, started tearing open boxes. Other kids and adults chipped in to help. No one seemed concerned that someone would steal them. [Ria! That small box in the corner has an aura of Sifting Cloud!] Sifting what? What's that?

[It's a type of plant that grows in foggy places. It's extremely harmful to young children and a common ingredient in witchcraft. I'm ninety-seven percent certain it's the cursed present.] What about the other three percent? [The present that Meng Yuchen just opened is a Worry Doll. Those are often cursed as well.] Meng Yuchen's holding it!!! My eyes glued themselves to Meng Yuchen. Who was holding a doll bigger than his head? Oh no. Make him drop it! [I can't. However, you do have a telekinetic skill that you can use to manipulate matter.] How do I use it? [Just focus on your target and decide.] Useless! […] I laid eyes on the stupid doll and focused. After a hot minute, a faint transparent sheen surrounded it. Then I thought hard about it landing on the table. Come on. Harley whispered in my ear." Are you constipated?" I almost lost it on her.

"No!" Come on! Do it! Do it! Get away from him! The doll yeeted itself out of Meng Yuchen's probing hands and clattered on the table.

"…" Before anyone else including him could draw attention to that strange situation. I called out.

"That! Gimme that!" Everyone looked towards the inconspicuous box in the corner. Then chaos. Everyone struggled to open it. It was a blue-wrapped box that clattered when it was shaken. With the same focus as earlier I tried to move the box towards an adult. It slid out of a young child's way and into an older woman's hands. She plucked it off the table and unraveled the paper. Then she gingerly opened a rectangular ornate box. What is it?

"Oh, how quaint! Perfume from the Kelpie nation. It's gorgeous, your highness." [One requirement completed. Congratulations Ria.] [Don't open the Cursed Present.][Refuse a gift from Druvis.][Impress the Queen.][Pick a sworn Guardian.][Do not let your identity as a Godkiller be revealed.][Pick a suitable Imperial Nanny.][Do not Die.] So it was the box. I still don't regret trying to save Meng Yuchen. I did a mental fist pump and smiled at the nice lady. You said it's harmful to young children right?

She's going to be ok right? [Yes. It's only harmful to children, pregnant people, and young animals. She will be fine.]"So you want perfume huh? Noted." Harley bounced me in her arms and I shrugged. One down. How many more to go? [Don't open the Cursed Present.][Refuse a gift from Druvis.][Impress the Queen.][Pick a sworn Guardian.][Do not let your identity as a Godkiller be revealed.][Pick a suitable Imperial Nanny.][Do not Die.] Six more tasks to go. Where is the Queen by the way?

I didn't see her on my—"Presenting! The Honorable Presiding Queen Illyria and her heir, the Crown Princess Azrian!" The doors swung open, and Harley turned us around to see them enter—f ashionably late. Where's the prince? A woman with skin the color of wine and hair as white as snow took her place on the balcony. Though she did not wear a crown, she exuded royalty and carried it well. From my vantage point below, I couldn't see her face, but she appeared intimidating.

Beside her stood a shorter woman with a calming presence. Her skin was darker than both the queen's and my mother's, and a deep blue rather than a somber purple. She shared the same striking hair color. Gorgeous. Is that what I'm going to look like? I don't have any complaints then. The two royal women descended the stairs, and no one dared to breathe, let alone block their way. They approached the table where my parents, the wives, and Druvis's children were seated. Everyone stood up quickly upon their arrival.

Everyone else bowed in the presence of royalty, their heads bowed toward the ground, and their postures stiff. The Queen exchanged words with my parents and then nodded. The Crown Princess announced, "Arise and Rejoice!" The hall erupted once again, and everyone began to breathe easily.

"That's your grandmother and your aunt. Do you want to see them?" Inside I said not really. But the Penguin was not happy with my response. [Say yes! Right now!] Fine.

"Mhm."

"Can you tell your face that?" I glared at Harley and she giggled.

"Alright let's go say hello to your family."

"I don't even know them."

"That's about to change right now! So look cheerful!" Harley waded through adults in her lemon chiffon dress and smiled at me. Her eyes spoke plenty. Fae women clinked glasses and goblets together. Fabric swayed and exquisite shoes danced across the floor. Smile or else. I sighed and smiled back at her. Let the quest begin. Harleen walked up to her mother who was standing at attention before the royals. Hadrian was dressed to impress today too.

Her blood-red dramatic gown with gold detailing perfectly complemented her cream skin and hair. Beneath the red fabric were several shimmery white layers of fabric. These dresses are otherworldly. Harley tugged on her mother's dress and whisper-yelled." Mother! I brought the baby." Hadrian looked behind her and did a double take.

"Harley? Nia!" Once she realized I was here she kicked my mother subtly. Niathe looked down and smiled gently. At me. Intentionally. I scrunch my face up in horror. Ew. What's wrong with her? She picked me up and regarded me with love in her eyes. A ruse. What is she plotting now?

"Mother. I present to you Miseria." This cunning asshole turned me around and held me out for her mother to take. Cold long fingers grasped my torso and raised me into the air. She is so tall. The Queen is even more intimidating in person. Her face is adorned with white tattoos that cover her forehead and cheeks. Each tattoo features a small gem at its center. Her eyes are unusual as well; instead of typical black pupils, they glow a striking amber. She's so cool.

A tiny whisper escapes my lips without a second thought: "Beautiful." She smirks." Thank you." She holds me in her arms and touches my face. Her fingertips linger on my eyelids and lips. She studied me and I did the same.

"Grandma?"

"…" Crown Princess Azrian made a small noise in her chest. Is she ok?

"Yes, child."

"You don't look very old."

"…" I remarked thoughtlessly."Can't judge a book by its cover I guess." She is not what I expected a centuries-old elf to look like. She looks like she's in her early twenties at best. Not a wrinkle or fine line to be seen. What a fountain of youth. Queen Illyra made a strangled sound."She has your mouth, Nia."

"I assure you it's only reserved for those she deems worthy."