Contrary to what Kel expected, it turned out the Ruby Room, the Place of Kings, wasn't a throne room.
Instead, it was a bedroom.
A large, luxurious bedroom with several chambers and expensive furnishings, but a bedroom nonetheless.
She and Calix had been left there with Thane, Lucy, and a few palace servants in order to rest before the welcome banquet. Well, those were all the people Kel knew of in the room with them. She kept her eyes peeled for any sinister shadows lying in wait.
"I've heard the food from Pandreia is as alluring as the people are."
On one side of the main chamber, Thane was busy flirting with a couple pink-cheeked maids. Lucy watched on, rubbing her forehead in irritation, while Kel and Calix lounged on the sofa.
"Pardon me," another maid approached the sofa, addressing both Kel and Lucy. "Would you permit us to dress you for the banquet?"
"Oh!"
The question caught the attention of the women being lulled with Thane's honeyed words, and they quickly made their way to join the woman at the sofa.
"Please allow us to, Your Majesty!" one of them clasped her hands in front of Kel.
"And you, My Lady!" another one reached for Lucy's hands. "You are so beautiful!"
Lucy smirked at Thane's shocked face and gripped the maid's hands in return.
"You are very beautiful, yourself," she replied. "It would be an honor to be dressed by your hands."
She bent and laid a kiss on one of the maid's hands, leaving the poor girl swooning and the other maids blushing.
Kel couldn't help but laugh as she noticed Thane's surprise turn to a pout. She didn't enjoy dressing up or 'being dressed', but for Lucy's sake, she also agreed to the maids' proposal.
She was too focused on the two knights' unspoken battle for the maids' hearts that she hardly spared Calix a look. If she had, however, she would have noticed his eyes blazing with anticipation.
And a few minutes later, she would have discovered why they had been blazing so.
She'd thought the low-cut gowns received from Madam Mae back when she was first taken as a hostage in Serin were skimpy beyond her comfort zone. But compared to the outfit chosen by the Pandreian maids, they seemed incredibly modest.
"I-I can't wear that!" Kel screeched, her cheeks turning red as a maid presented the carefully selected outfit.
"Why not?" the girl tilted her head. "The color of the sapphires perfectly compliments your eyes."
"It's not the sapphires that are the problem," Kel muttered. "It's the fact there isn't anything except the sapphires!"
The dress, if it could even be called such, the woman held up was made of sheer fabric, covered only by blue jewels that had been sewn in intricate patterns.
Not even a single sapphire had been strategically placed on the garment to hide the wearer's more intimate body parts. freewebnovel.c(o)m
Wearing the outfit would be no better than simply attaching a few gems to her naked body!
"But, Your Majesty!"
The maid was in the midst of arguing with Kel when Lucy stepped between them.
"I believe it's the best idea, diplomatically, to choose a different attire for the Empress Consort," the woman explained.
"Diplomatically?" the maid questioned. "Does the Empire have strict laws regarding women's clothing?"
A collective gasp escaped from the other two maids, who suddenly looked to be on the verge of tears.
"Nothing like that," Lucy held up her hand, biting her lips to keep from giggling at their dismay. "But the Emperor would certainly slay any human whose eyes observed the Empress Consort dressed like that."
"Ooooh." The maids gave each other a knowing look, their frowns rapidly turning back to smiles.
"We understand."
Soon, the terrifyingly skimpy dress had been replaced by something slightly more reasonable. The majority of Kel's skin would still be prominently displayed, thanks to the tiny strip of material meant to be a top and semi-sheer skirt with a slit that reached her hip, but it at least covered the most important parts.
"Oh my! Your breasts are so full!"
In the midst of changing, she heard a maid gushing from the other side of the chamber, followed by a squeak from Lucy.
Kel began to laugh, only to emit a squeak of her own when one of the maids dressing her cupped her hand around one of her breasts.
"Ah, such a shame," she shook her head, giving a few squeezes. "So small."
Why were the Pandreian people so carefree about their bodies?!
A few more shockingly intimate grabs and squeaks later, from both sides of the chamber, Kel and Lucy were both dressed.
With lightning speed, the maids then proceeded to pin their hair up and paint their faces with a variety of creams.
When they had finished, Kel hardly recognized herself.
"So beautiful!!!"
It was Kel's turn to draw the attention of the maids, thanks to her golden hair.
"The Emperor is so lucky!"
"I wish I could dress you every day!"
Lucy walked up next to her and threw her arm over her shoulders.
"I'm still a little concerned for the livelihoods of everyone who attends the banquet," she whispered, leaning her head near Kel's.
"Oooo how romantic!" Behind them, Kel heard one of the maids turn excitedly to the other two.
Just what kind of place was this where the servants felt comfortable fondling their masters' breasts and gushing over romance between an engaged woman and a knight in her fiancé's service?
She should tell poor Thane that didn't have a prayer of capturing the maid's attention unless he turned his irresistible charm on the Emperor, so the girls could watch as excited spectators.
Though admittedly, he'd end up in an early grave if he even attempted such.
Kel accidentally let out a laugh, picturing Calix's face as Thane tried to flirt with him.
Unfortunately, to the maids, it looked as if she was giggling at Lucy's flirting, which only set them off even more.
Shaking her head at the girls' silliness, Lucy turned to Kel again.
"Shall we go and see what your fiancé thinks?"
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