Chapter 523 - Interrogation, And Then...
(MC POV)
To her credit, the Director recovered almost immediately and sprung to her feet, quickly using a Gravity Technique to send my inscriptions floating up into the air.
She looked through all four hundred of my inscriptions within a minute, setting them down in neat piles of a hundred each in front of her.
"Who… How… When did you even start working here?"
The archivist who had received me quickly came forward and bowed his head.
"Forgive me Director! But he is a newcomer who just came in today! He said he had experience in inscription carving so I had assigned him to it!"
She turned to him, "Why did you not report to me that we had a newcomer?!"
"It was my mistake! I thought I should let him try out first before I—"
Without giving him the chance to finish his words, the Director slashed her hand in an arc, decapitating the archivist without a second thought.
Judging by how no one cried out in alarm, this shouldn't be their first time seeing this happen.
Which was odd because I definitely did not see something like this happening back in my previous life.
Well, at least now I know why this guy wasn't there. He probably took the fall for her for another matter and lost his life as a result. You shall be forgotten, random archivist number one.
The Director turned back to the Matriarch, prostrating herself on the ground again, "Forgive my subordinate's inadequacy, your Majesty! I will make sure to give the rest a thorough teaching later!"
"Mmm… See that you do. And I'm still expecting that report as well, do not forget it. We shall take our leave for now."
The procession turned and started walking out of the Archives, two of the guards falling behind and looking towards my direction.
"Master… Should I come out and fight them off?" Xun Guan asked.
"No, you're no match for her right? Let's just go and see where this leads to. Just in case, hold on to this gender change pill. If things get out of hand, toss it in my mouth and I'll take care of it."
"Understood, Master."
I adopted the form of a frightened and insecure male, making sure to shiver slightly as I walked out of the room under the escort of the two female guards.
Both of them gave me looks of contempt before roughly shoving me out of the Archives, stepping over the dead body of the archivist without batting an eyelid.
I thought they would make me walk to the palace but apparently the Matriarch was waiting outside her carriage for me.
"Let the man board, I have matters to discuss with him in private," she proclaimed, loud enough for everyone to hear.
The maid from before bowed her head before walking towards me, relieving the two guards of their escort duty.
"Listen well man," She started, spitting out the word 'man' like it was poison. "Her most gracious Majesty has allowed you to be in her presence. Insult or slight her in any way and I will make sure the rest of your days are filled with indescribably misery. Understand?"
I made sure to make myself look even more pathetic before nodding my head.
Probably thinking her threat had successfully intimidated me, she brought me to the carriage and allowed me to board it.
The coach was big enough to fit twelve people inside comfortably and yet, there were only two of us inside right now.
I noted the windows were layered and had thick curtains covering them while the entire room was padded which made it completely soundproof.
"Sit," She ordered, just as the carriage door shut and we began to move.
I obeyed, taking the seat directly across from her.
She crossed her leg and folded her arms, staring down at me with half-closed eyes, "Now… Where did you learn to carve inscriptions like that?"
"I was self taught, your Majesty…"
"Oh? Self taught? A very impressive feat for a man like you to reach this level by himself. What other skills have you taught yourself?"
Oh no… I have a feeling I know what she is going to do… She's going to test my knowledge just like how she did back when I was first taken in by her.
I bowed my head lower, trying to look sufficiently cowed, "I… I am a Jack of all trades, your Majesty…"
"Interesting… What would you do if too much wyrmtongue has been added to the brewing process of a vitality potion?"
"You can't add 'too much' wyrmtongue into a vitality potion," I answered automatically. "The more you add, the less one has to drink to get the effects of it."
"Hmmm… What would you do when you are surrounded by a pack of Rock Wolves?"
"Curl up into a ball and stay very still, their abysmal eyesight and simple minds would mistake you for a rock."
The Matriarch smiled slightly before pulling out a piece of paper with a complicated inscription carved on it.
"What must I do if I find myself stepping on this explosion inscription?
I narrowed my eyes at the inscription, "Umm… Nothing? That's not even an explosion inscription, it looks like someone trying to draw a gravity pull inscription but got confused halfway and added a bunch of doodles into it…"
She took the inscription back and stuffed it in her chest, "You get reports that a town with an agricultural focus has been starving--"
I did not wait for her to finish her words before saying, "Most likely the local lord is extorting them, a pandemic is going on or there is an outbreak of monsters. Send out a Request to adventurers and have the Royal Guard on standby to deal with whichever is the cause."
"A subject was caught selling secrets to the enemy--"
"Capture them, brainwash them, use them against the enemy."
"A group of captured bandits--"
"If our resources allow for it, put them on manual labour. If not, execution."
"Fifty percent of the national budget on the military--"
"Is too much when you are the leader."
"Subjects are suspected to be planning a revolt--"
"Arrange an incident that allows a display of your power to remind them of their place."
"... Boobs or butt?"
"Both."
"Long legs?"
"Nice."
I stopped, I had answered the last two questions without thinking and I hadn't expected her to ask those at all. The other questions she had asked so far have been questions she tested me before and I learnt the answers to them the hard way.
I was expecting at least another dozen more questions as she would start to drill me about more political matters before moving on to my knowledge of Cultivation.
And yes, one of the reasons why I hate politics is because of this person right here.
I don't even understand why she insists on me wanting to know all this, my guess was that she wanted a male to share his own thoughts on the ruling of this country so that she could rule it better.
Why it had to be me, I had no idea.
After I answered her last question, the Matriarch looked at me with a full smile, "Forgive me, I have neglected introductions. I am Lunamaeniera Sharrow, may I have your good name?"
I briefly considered giving her my real name but thought against it.
"You can call me Jeff."
"In that case, you can call me Luna."
I blinked at her, "That would be terribly rude of me, I cannot--"
"I insist."
She gave me the look that she would not take no as an answer.
"Understood… Luna."
She nodded her head before suddenly getting on a knee and holding my hands, "Jeff… Let's get married."
…
What.