Saintess? Not Anymore! I'd Rather be a Destroyer-Chapter 99 - 85: Audience 2

Two days before the audience with Queen Amber...

Count Burgundy slumped to the ground, a look of horror on his face as he gazed at the blood-stained box before him. Beside him, a weeping woman struggled to cope with the devastating scene.

"You assured me that Era would be safe! You promised that our precious daughter would be protected in the palace! I warned you about Aurianna, but you didn’t listen!" Countess Burgundy’s glare at her husband was intense, her hands covered in blood as she clung to the box.

"I believed..." he began.

"Don’t tell me what you believed! That brat has been a menace for two years now. She’s notorious for harming servants who defy her, and these servants come from noble families! Everyone knows this, which is why they keep their children away from her and refuse to let them work for her," Countess Burgundy vented her frustration, her voice tinged with anger. "I knew stealing from the princess was a terrible idea, and now our daughter is gone," she concluded, her voice hollow and cold.

Tears streamed down Count Burgundy’s face as he admitted, "You’re right, I’m to blame for our daughter’s death. I pushed her to get closer to the princess, hoping she’d achieve a higher rank." He clenched his fists tightly, his expression pained. "But Aurianna was always distant and reserved, and with our debts piling up, Era becoming the Head Maid was our only hope. If we didn’t secure that money, Duke Melissa would have stripped us of our title."

"We wouldn’t be in this mess if you hadn’t wasted most of our money on gambling. This is your fault!" Countess Burgundy retorted.

"Enough," he snapped at his wife, who recoiled at his cold tone.

"We need to make the princess pay," he grumbled, his frustration evident in the veins pulsating on his face.

"And how exactly do you plan to do that?" Countess Burgundy asked skeptically.

"I’ve got a plan," Count Burgundy replied, a sinister grin spreading across his face.

___________

In a large, lavish office, a young woman with short blonde hair sat poring over some papers. Her deep blue eyes were fixed attentively on the documents in her hands, and the sunlight streaming through the window highlighted her flawless brown skin.

"Hey, Gark!" Melissa called out to a middle-aged man in a suit who stood nearby.

"Yes, Duke!" he chirped, swiftly approaching her.

"Send a letter to all these nobles, letting them know they have my permission to meet with me," Melissa said, grinning, as the letters floating in the air converged into one, containing the names of the people and their issues.

"No problem, Duke. They’ll receive the message in a few minutes," the middle-aged man assured before leaving the office.

Later that afternoon, Melissa sat in her living room, where a group of old and middle-aged nobles occupied several couches before her.

She surveyed the room and thought, ’So, a hundred and twenty nobles all coming at once to complain about one person, Aurianna. This should be interesting.’

"So, tell me about your complaint. Please explain why it’s urgent enough to warrant an audience with the Queen. You know it’s not easy to get her attention; she’s quite lazy," Melissa stated nonchalantly, causing the nobles to break into nervous sweat.

’Is it okay to talk about the Queen like that?’ they all wondered anxiously.

"I’m sure you’ve read all of our letters already, dear Duke, and we can’t tolerate this disgrace and disrespect any longer!" One of the nobles stood up, seething with anger as he tried to contain his rage.

"Oh, interesting," Melissa perked up. "Go on, Count Burgundy."

Count Burgundy stood up and walked to the center of the room, holding a long paper in his hand. "For the past two years, Aurianna has been causing havoc around the territories of several nobles, making transportation a nightmare. Her weird crystal magic is a pain to deal with too because if someone with lower abilities than her touches it, they turn into monstrous crystal structures. On top of that, she’s destroyed several properties of us nobles, all in the name of completing her mission. And guess who had to bear the financial burden of repairing the damages? Yep, us!"

"But the most appalling act she committed was slaughtering a total of 267 maids and butlers in her palace – all nobles!" he exclaimed.

"That’s quite a staggering number. Any idea why she’d do such a thing?" Melissa asked calmly, genuinely intrigued.

The nobles exchanged nervous glances, well aware of the reason, but hoping that their meeting with Count Burgundy would present them in a better light.

’I can see why they’re all uneasy. They had it coming, though. Aurianna isn’t your average kid; she’s from the Vanluad lineage, and she’s sharp as a tack. She must have noticed some scheming in her palace. Did they really think they could exploit her just because she’s younger? This is getting more interesting,’ Melissa grinned, recalling her own past encounter with Aurianna.

In a training arena, Aurianna stood dressed in a fighter’s outfit tailored for women, while Melissa donned her armor.

"Hey there, Aurianna, I’m Melissa, and I’ll be training you starting today!" Melissa greeted her with a warm smile, sizing up the young girl before her. Despite being just 9 years old, Aurianna had the look of a seasoned teenager.

"I don’t need your training," Aurianna replied coldly, crossing her arms.

"Your saber skills still need some polishing. Are you really sure you don’t want my help? Your father specifically asked me to train you," Melissa said, her gaze fixed on Aurianna’s icy, lifeless light blue eyes.

"I don’t care if my father wants you to teach me. I have no interest in learning anything from you untrustworthy nobles," Aurianna stated, flashing a disturbing smile that made Melissa uneasy.

"Princess, if you don’t mind me asking, why do you feel that way?" Melissa inquired, trying to keep her composure.

"You all reek of filth, blood, greed, and pride," Aurianna said calmly.

"That’s rather rude," Melissa retorted.

"I couldn’t care less," Aurianna replied nonchalantly.

"If you keep up this disrespectful attitude, I won’t teach you," Melissa warned, her patience wearing thin.

"You think I want to be here with an old hag like you?" Aurianna questioned.

"Old hag?!" Melissa bristled at the insult.

"Learn some manners, princess!" Melissa scolded Aurianna, looming over her, but the young girl didn’t flinch.

"Would you really use your claws to strike an innocent child like me?" Aurianna asked, putting on an innocent voice and expression, studying Melissa.

"Absolutely," Melissa replied without hesitation.

"Just as I thought, a nasty old hag," Aurianna frowned, and Melissa shot her a sharp glare.

__

"She’s definitely the most unpleasant of all the princesses, but there’s something about her that makes me think she’s stronger than the rest. It’s almost unbelievable how a child can lift the weights she does daily. Anyway, I shouldn’t dwell too much on that now; I need to handle these people," Melissa sighed, her attention still on Count Burgundy, waiting for his response.

"Aren’t you going to answer?" Melissa inquired.

"Well, you see, it’s because the princess is, um, a bit crazy. I don’t want to be disrespectful to the Royal Family, so I’m cautious about saying too much," Count Burgundy explained, appearing nervous.

"Come on, no need to hold back. Speak your mind," Melissa encouraged him.

"In all honesty, the princess’s behavior is just plain crazy and insane. She needs to face consequences for her actions, and we, the nobles, should be compensated for the losses we’ve suffered!" He boldly stated, and the other nobles nodded in agreement.

Melissa turned her attention to Marquis Hamfolt, a fair man with a bushy beard and a woman with angry brown eyes.

"Do you share the same view, Marquis Hamfolt?" Melissa inquired, fixing her gaze on them.

"Absolutely, I agree with Count Burgundy. The princess needs to be held accountable for what she’s done, and these nobles should be compensated for their losses," Marquis Hamfolt asserted.

Melissa raised an eyebrow, asking, "Are you sure about this decision?"

"Of course, my husband is sure. That princess killed my first son just two months ago. Her excuse was that she disliked my son’s attitude towards her," the woman’s body trembled as she spoke, her emotions evident. "We couldn’t say anything because she’s a princess. But I can’t just sit back and let my son’s killer avoid accountability!" Marchioness Hamfolt, standing beside Marquis Hamfolt, stated firmly, her expression serious.

"Then we’ll bring this matter to Queen Amber tomorrow. King Girsal is overseas, so he won’t be available, and the other concubines are busy with important tasks," Melissa addressed calmly. Her words brought genuine smiles to some nobles’ faces, while others wore more sinister grins.

"Thank you so much for this opportunity, Duke Melissa!" Marquis Hamfolt expressed his gratitude, followed by the group of nobles nodding in agreement.

"Don’t worry; it’s my job, after all," Melissa replied with a pleased expression.

_______

Back in the throne room...

Amber sat on her throne, casting a displeased look at the group of nobles. "You guys can’t just barge in here whenever you feel like it, you know? There are proper protocols to follow," she said in a cold tone.

"I’m the one who brought them here, Queen Amber," Melissa stepped forward, giving a low bow before standing upright.

"Hey, Melissa, what’s the deal with them coming here? And why do you dare talk to me like that?" Amber asked, irritation evident on her face.

"My apologies for the impromptu audience, your majesty. Their case just sounded so intriguing that I couldn’t resist granting them an audience with you. Plus, since you don’t seem to have much on your plate today, why not use your precious time to deal with their matter?" Melissa said, her smile carrying a hint of coldness.

Amber tightened her grip on the throne, glaring at Melissa. "Watch your mouth, Melissa. I’m the queen of this country, and I won’t tolerate your disrespectful words."

"Hororororo, Amber, how could I ever be disrespectful towards you? This is part of your job too, you know. Unlike you, the other Arch Dukes are busy with important matters," Melissa added, provoking Amber further.

"Do you want to die?!!" Amber fumed.

"Nah, I’m good," Melissa nonchalantly shook her head.

"Tch, let’s get this over with quickly," Amber sighed, slumping back in her chair and turning her attention to the nobles.

Melissa stepped back and Countess Burgundy came forward and took a deep breath, then began to recount her story. "My daughter, she was just a servant in your daughter’s palace. But Aurianna, she--" The woman’s voice choked with emotion, and she had to take another breath to compose herself before continuing. "Aurianna, she killed her. And then, she sent her body back to us in a box!"

"Oh really, what happened?" Queen Amber asked with an intrigued tone.

A man with slick black hair came forth and stood by the woman and narrated with a displeased tone,"It was two days ago in the evening, and some of her knights delivered us a beautifully decorated box. I thought it was a present, but when I opened it...." He closed his mouth, hoping not to throw up from the gruesome scene he witnessed.

"Calm down Count Burgundy," As the man behind Count Burgundy tried to comfort him, Queen Amber’s expression grew darker by the minute. Her blue eyes flashed with fury.

The air was thick with sorrow and rage as the bereaved parents stood before Queen Amber, their voices quivering with despair.

"I received the corpse of my daughter’s battered body!!" He yelled as tears streamed down his face.

Marchioness Hamfolt’s voice echoed with pain as she recounted her own horrific discovery. "My son, once strong and full of life, now reduced to mere scattered limbs because Princess Aurianna didn’t like his presence. The pain of losing my first born son!"

The assembled nobles seethed with indignation, their faces contorted with fury as they beheld the gruesome fate that had befallen their beloved children.

Silence fell as Count Burgundy addressed Queen Amber with bated breath, his fingers clenched tightly together. "Your Majesty," he implored, "what words and act of consolation can you offer to ease our tormented hearts, shattered by this unspeakable horror?"

"I see," Queen Amber said through gritted teeth, "And what does my daughter have to say for herself?" She turned her gaze to the nobles gathered before her, who all looked at her with a mix of fear and anger.

"She claims that they were thieves and that she was justified in taking their lives," another noble spoke up, his voice shaking slightly. "But we know the truth, Your Majesty. We know that girl is mental, since this isn’t the first time she has committed such a despicable act of so-called punishment, which is plain murder!"

With a cruel smirk playing on her lips, Queen Amber surveyed the trembling nobles before her. "You rats," she spat with contempt.

"What??!!" The nobles recoiled in shock and disbelief at Queen Amber’s callous words.

Amber’s eyes glittered with icy amusement as she revealed the source of her dark delight. "My daughter," she hissed, "Sent me a video stone and recording stone, that captured your treacherous children plotting to steal her funds. And so....." she continued, her tone chillingly indifferent, "They got exactly what they deserved."

The assembled nobles quaked with fear, their own perfidious plot exposed before the queen. A hush fell over the gathering as the gravity of the situation sunk in. The nobles looked at one another, their faces etched with fear and uncertainty.

Finally, Queen Amber spoke. "You have committed a grave offense against my family and the crown," she said, her voice laced with menace. "And you will be held accountable for your actions."

Count Burgundy’s mind raced as he struggled to process the events that had transpired, ’Shit... I didn’t think the princess would have that! I knew she was just a genius in strength, but who knew she was also smart. Not only that, but she’s more brutal than what the rumors said she was,’ He looked nervously at Queen Amber, her expression was inscrutable, and he could only muster a wry smile in response.

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of his own voice, as he spoke out in anger and desperation. "But your Majesty," he cried, his voice trembling with emotion, "For the princess to brutally kill our children is unacceptable!! She must also be punished!!" The other nobles murmured in agreement, their faces twisted with rage at the injustice that had befallen their families.

But Queen Amber was unmoved, "Punished for killing servants who dared to try to steal her funds? Punished for killing people who dared to make her feel uncomfortable? Are you hearing yourselves?" she sneered, her tone laced with contempt, "If anyone is to be punished," she continued, her voice growing colder with each passing moment, "It is those who dared to cross the royal family."

The woman beside Count Burgundy dared to speak out against the ruthless actions taken against the nobles’ children. "She could have just fired them," she offered tentatively, but a withering glare from the queen silenced her immediately.

Queen Amber surveyed the room, her gaze sweeping across the assembled nobles. With an air of undeniable authority, she proceeded to ask a questiom, "Allow me to present a hypothetical situation," she intoned, her voice low and calm, she said, "If a servant in your household were to steal from you for their own selfish gain. What would you do? Would you simply let them walk away with their life?"

The nobles, frozen in fear, dared not to utter a word, for they knew if such a case happened they would surely not let the servant walk away easily.

"See, you would not simply let them go. Rather you would seek revenge and make them pay for their treachery. You would ensure that their entire family suffered the same fate. So you all should better scram before I do that immediately!!" Queen Amber threatened and all the nobles trembled.

"We’re sorry for angering you Queen Amber," The trembling nobles prostrated themselves before Queen Amber, their fear palpable as they begged for forgiveness. But the queen’s eyes were cold and unyielding as she fixed them with a sinister grin.

"Let us not forget the matter of the one billion gold you have stolen from my daughter over the years," she hissed, relishing the fear that she saw etched on the faces of the nobles. "You have but one month to return it to her, or your entire family shall pay the price. For you know, as well as I do, that you cannot hide from me."

Queen Amber’s voice was filled with dark satisfaction as she issued her threat. "Let this be a lesson to all those who believe that their station affords them the freedom to act as they please," she said, her tone domineering and menacing. "For they will suffer unbearable consequences, just like you." The nobles nodded in agreement, their bodies still trembling in fear by the pressure Queen Amber released.

Count Burgundy, his face dripping with sweat, groveled before Queen Amber, "Yes Queen Amber we’ll surely never let this happen again," But his thoughts were consumed by the magnitude of the debt he owed to the queen’s daughter, and the very real danger he was now in.

’I better find a way to get that money, or else I’m a dead man!’ he fretted inwardly, despair seeping into his every thoughtEra you just had to screw this up didn’t you,’ Count Burgundy thought and cried inwardly.

Queen Amber, her smile deceptively sweet, interrupted his anxious reverie. "You had better hope that you don’t," she warned, her words sending a chill down the spines of all the assembled nobles. "For if you do, my husband shall hear of it."

The atmosphere grew tense, heavy with an ominous threat, causing the nobles to draw back, realizing the gravity of her words. They all knew King Girsal wouldn’t tolerate any disrespect towards royalty, and just the idea of facing his wrath sent shivers down their spines.

"As for those who my daughter killed outside the palace grounds on a whim, I’ll have a talk with her and make sure it doesn’t happen again. And you’ll all be compensated for your losses," Amber addressed, bringing a glimmer of hope to some nobles’ faces. However, Marchioness Hamfolt remained unyielding, clenching her teeth in frustration.

"My son’s life can’t be equated to a few gold coins; I want that child to face consequences!" Marchioness Hamfolt yelled in anger, catching Queen Amber’s attention.

"Don’t worry, I’ll discuss this with my husband, and appropriate actions will be taken. Just calm down, Marchioness Hamfolt," Amber assured her, closely observing the woman’s reaction. Marchioness Hamfolt trembled slightly but then bowed, accepting Amber’s words.

As the nobles walked out of the throne room and the doors closed behind them, Queen Amber let out an exasperated huff.

"Hmph, the nerve of those sneaky, arrogant bastards," she muttered to herself, her irritation palpable. "How dare they even consider punishing my dear, adorable daughter?" she seethed, her voice brimming with fury.

But as her thoughts turned to her beloved child, Queen Amber’s expression softened. "My daughter is so clever, she always has a reason for her actions," she mused, a sense of pride creeping into her voice. "No one shall ever bully her, while I am queen."