In the blistering heat of the empire''s unrest, tension coiled around the city like a serpent ready to strike. Dust hung heavy in the air, mingling with the mor of disbelief as an Imperial Decree shattered the sanctity of long-held secrets. The emperor''s right hand had announced that Argider Valtirium—known scoundrel, father of many bastards, and asional flight risk—had not only been in but miraculously reborn… as a woman.


    The decree, allegedly divine in origin, imed this transformation marked Argider as the vessel of the gods'' will and the rightful ruler of the empire. Naturally, the popce was skeptical. After all, there were stories.


    Rumors had spread faster than a court gossip with a secret. It was public knowledge that Argider once fled his own wedding bed, leaving his wives baffled while he soughtfort in the arms of a particrly persuasive prostitute. The scandal had been entirely true, of course, and the memory lingered like a bad smell in a sacred hall.


    "Perhaps the gods are not always right…" a nobleman muttered under his breath, echoing the unease of the gathered crowds.


    "What if it''s a trick? Divine punishment for his crimes?"


    "I''d argue it''s both a blessing and a mockery," another chimed in. "All those bastards, and now he''ll have none!"


    The promation wasn''t merely a deration of Argider''s "miracle" but a tactical move. It sought to cement her im to the throne while sending a not-so-subtle warning to the shadowy factions scheming in the empire''s underbelly.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Meanwhile, the imperial Sceptre Council chamber—a ce as ostentatious as its name—erupted in chaos. A fist mmed onto the long, polished table with the force of a falling guillotine.


    "Argider? A woman? Preposterous!" thundered Duke Gander Morrigan, the Emerald Liege. His pale green eyes zed with fury beneath a mane of silver hair. As the second most powerful figure in the empire, Morrigan''s temper carried weight, and the other nobles wisely sat up straighter. "He couldn''t even give my daughter a child! His first wife! The empress! And now you expect me to believe this?"


    "Your Grace," Count Laristor Erisius, the Alexandrite Liege, interjected with his usual measured calm. Adjusting his spectacles with a precise touch, he added, "Let us not allow emotions to cloud our judgment. The matter at hand is of critical importance."The council wasprised of the most illustrious figures from the noble Eminent Households, distinguished by their titles based on jewels from the First Emperor''s Sceptre. Each held a pivotal position within the imperial hierarchy.


    Gander Morrigan, the Emerald Liege, whose dominion extended over the vast economdscapes of the empire;


    Malister Merovia, the Golden Liege, the treasurer secretary and financial advisor;


    Laristor Erisius, the Alexandrite Liege, the enigmatic master of covert operations;


    Saktor Tarkresh, the Amber Liege, the fearless militarymander of the Imperial Family;


    Telys Donotia, the Lady Azurite Liege, the eloquent speaker of the Imperial Parliament and the lone woman within the council;


    Brovian Cryptoron, the Sapphire Liege, chief Justice and guardian of the empire''sws;


    And finally, Osmo Arctera, the Pearl Liege, the esteemed schr and foremost advisor to the throne.


    Each one wielded immense power, and each one had opinions—many of them unhelpful.


    "Does this mean her spouses should now be men?" Saktor Tarkresh quipped, his military gruffness softened by a hint of amusement.


    "That would require undoing every marital alliance we''ve ever brokered!" Malister Merovia pointed out, his voice weighted with exasperation. "Do you have any idea how much paperwork that would entail?"


    "A contract must never be broken," Brovian Cryptoron intoned, as if reading directly from thews he upheld.


    "Let''s be practical," Osmo Arctera interjected with the weary patience of a man ustomed to herding cats. "Argider won''t be producing heirs with men. The damage to our reputation would be catastrophic if she bore a child under such circumstances. No, we must focus on her as she is and manage this… adjustment."


    Telys Donotia, ever the voice of bnce, leaned forward. "In time, we may even hope she reverts to her former self. Until then, this change might provide an unexpected benefit: fewer bastards."


    Morrigan''s scowl deepened. The chamber fell silent as his thoughts churned. The mention of his daughter—the empress, once married to Argider—cut deep, stirring bitter memories of her youthful smile and the years lost to heartbreak. Atst, he rose and strode out, his silence more thunderous than his earlier fury.


    ...


    Meanwhile, in a hidden chamber of the pce, Argider was decidedly less philosophical about her predicament. Confined to her quarters, she paced with the nervous energy of a caged animal. Every creak of the floorboards, every shift of the shadows, seemed like a harbinger of betrayal.


    Then came the unmistakable sound of hurried footsteps.


    "Darling!" a familiar voice sang out.


    Her blood ran cold. No… Not now…


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    — [Affection ?? 50]


    — [Loyalty?? 0]


    — [Emotion?? 100]


    Before she could react, the door swung open, and there stood Callista—Argider''s fourth wife and, inconveniently, her favorite. Callista, with her cascading locks and a smirk that could unnerve a saint. The courtesan-turned-consort Argider had hopelessly fallen for.


    "Callista! I—I''m ill!" Argider yelped, diving under the nkets as if they were an imprable fortress.


    "Oh, my love," Callista crooned, stepping closer with feline grace. "I''vee to nurse you back to health, as always."


    The bed dipped under her weight. Argider froze.


    "No, wait!" she stammered, voice trembling with rm.


    Callista slipped under the covers, her hands roaming with practiced ease. "Darling, you feel… different," she murmured, her fingers tracing unfamiliar terrain.


    "Callista, stop!" Argider squeaked, trying desperately to wiggle away.


    But it was toote. Callista yanked the nkets aside, revealing the pale, feminine figure beneath. For a moment, there was only silence as her gaze traveled from Argider''s diamond-like eyes to her delicate frame.


    Finally, Callista whispered, "Who… who are you? And what are you doing in his bed?"