Empress Seycea is benevolent and pure to give a war general concubines when the lord has already proclaimed his love for his wife. One believes that her majesty worries about husband lord greatly and thanks her for even managing this household." Those were such impudent words that nanny Lemen stepped back watching the woman with wide eyes...how dare she..yet it seemed that two of the beauties that came in to be gifted had no idea thus they only stood as a block while the other two were somewhat furious.

　　Only to a fool, they would sound like praise since they it meant-'your empress is foolish and has not seen the world, interfering into affairs of another man, is she even loyal to your king?" Artimisia was rushed in as soon as the servants of the imperial army came yet she listen to the entire conversation from nearby feeling anger, why did the General leave her sister alone to deal with these people?

　　"Only an emperor can bestow an imperial edict and the empress, mother of the nation does not gets involved in those...asking the nanny to take this back, one is unable to receive the command." Watching how this woman was so arrogant even infront of the empress the beauties that came to become the concubines felt agitated.

　　"Impudent! Servants punish this general lady for saying such treacherous words against her majesty-the empress!" Nanny Lemen did not see the exquisite smile that bloomed on the face of the demoness that looked calm and placid yet her honey eyes captured the old woman's face.

　　Truly despicable

　　Before the female servants that looked rough and coarse can come forward an ink night cloak fluttered and stood before the petite empress making Lilith pout, what was this? She couldn't even see anyone's face.

　　"G-GENERAL AZARIOS!" The male did not look at the astonished women and instead had a serene smile gracing his godly features

　　"My wife is virtuous and gentle, as a matriarch its general-lady's duty to teach mannerisms to her subordinates. Since Empress Seycea has been virtuous enough to gift to my wife, she was only playing around yet it looks to this one that maids of the imperial palace are truly bold these days. After giving a plaything it belongs to one's wife thus one wonders why is such chaos happening in my mansion?" The beast of Ambrose said it with a smile yet the more he appeared magnanimous, the darker the atmosphere got.

　　When one stays in the imperial palace for too long, its only natural to develop instincts that helped in survival against thousand of conspiracies and hundreds of deaths, the maidens were young yet no foolish then three of them decided that even if they battled against this woman for life, tried to snatch favor against the general and in thousandth life after dying at her hands they would still fall short of beauty and brains. The General was now saying that his wife was playing yet in reality he meant that he would let his wife do whatever she wishes for and if you die it's your fault.

　　"We have been too presumptuous. One did not have proper teaching and tried to bring shame to the Lotus mansion and general lady, one thinks that General and General-lady are pairs of swans residing in Northwestern mountains and can never be separated." A beauty bowed not daring to have another conversation and just wished to get out. She had only one life and did not wish to die. And just like that two others too withdrew.

　　With their father's connections, it would not be impossible to marry into a good household thus it was futile to enter a lion's cage.

　　"W-What is this- the empress has ordered you all!" The fourth maiden had no intentions of marrying at all thus nanny Lemen knew it was the time to retreat thus she dared not force General Azarios to accept the empress's decree...

　　It was just that an empress's decree could be ignored yet how can the General deflect the monarch's words?

　　Empire of Ambrose that was relying heavily on General Azarios's power upon watching the embarrassment Empress Seycea had to face now had intentions to curb his influence thus the seventh lunar day of the Era of Snake a proclamation infront of the entire imperial court was passed-

　　General Azarios shall take in a concubine selected by the emperor.

　　Yet this time the word and actions of the general changed, he accepted the imperial decree with a calm demeanor.

　　Court officials did not even dare breathe harshly when General Azarios was bestowed with the imperial order of golden silk. Few pondered why would a man of such capabilities refuse a beauty since it was the main wife's duty to extend branches of her husband's family while others somewhat understood the heart of the general- who knows that Emperor Alexander was giving a concubine or a spy?

　　Yet the General no matter how rebellious and hubristic could not defy the Emperor in the court since such actions were to be seen as launching an attack on the imperial body of Ambrose and would mark under betrayal.

　　"The General looks displeased with this emperor's decision. This one has not given an unworthy female thus one must not worry."

　　"Its this one's fortune to have the emperor as one's lord, since it is his majesty that is guiding over Ambrose one has never felt worried let alone about one's own self. Its his majesty's wish to give one a concubine then how come this general not accept?"

　　When emperor Heun died who was the one that kept Ambrose together?

　　Who defended against Gaerin?

　　Which godly power came to the rescue of commoners when Prince Baez killed half of the imperial army that sided with previous traitor General Bezus?

　　Which mansion the nobles and the commoners looked upto when there was a calamity?

　　It was General Azarios of Lotus mansion.

　　Who was Emperor Alexander? Someone that the commoners had come to resent secretly, an entity that was seen warily even by the noble aristocrats for his incompetent nature thus when Azarios said those contradictory words even Alexander felt that he was mocking him.

　　A monarch that could not even fulfill his oaths well how can there be a day when he can take a decision about the empire's hero? The emperor had his fists clenched with how obnoxious this person was. He must bury the Lotus mansion before Azarios swallows his power.

　　When General Azarios was inside the court listening to the bickering of ministers regarding the agricultural lands an exquisite fairy had already entered his courtyards.

　　"What...What is this?!" Despite the imperial decree by the monarch being passed down neither the General lady nor any of the servants opened the doors of the Lotus mansion for her thus making the fairy-like countenance drop as she ordered her own subordinates to open the gates for her carriage to enter. It was known in the entire capital of Ambrose that General Azarios accepted the emperor's command this time without any excuses and refusal thus making the concubine's arrogance bloom too.

　　"How dare a lowly slave look down at this one, its only now that the general is enamored with her...in future one must show that woman her place!"

　　"Lady must not worry, our grace is most virtuous woman in the capital, how come anyone compete with you." Tightly clenching the silk cloth in her hands Lady Giana muttered before coming down her silver embroidered palanquin gently as if nothing bothered her and she was an unearthly being descending from heaven.

　　Servants looked over at the woman and walked right past her as if she was a shadow that could not be seen, despite such treatment Giana did not lose hope and her servant stopped a female.

　　"W-Where is general lady? This servant's master wishes to meet her." If it was anyone else they might have thrown a tantrum and ran away yet this person who appeared to be as fragile as a flowery vein looked at the maid with teary eyes as if she was bullied.

　　"Our matriarch is in the southern pavilion, this servant will guide lady there."

　　"B-But aren't southern pavilions reserved for the master of the manor." When such words were asked innocently, the maid turned around and smiled at the concubine and her maid.

　　"Isn't that whom the lady is meeting, this manor's master?" Even that woman's servants were so impertinent, called her a lady countless of times when she was the concubine by an imperial decree. Giana felt anger in her stomach yet did not let her emotions get way with it while she was guided along the splendor of magnificent orchards and lush scenery.

　　In the shade of peach blossoms there was a visage filled with calm and swirling with an enchanting aura, Giana could not see her face yet even the mannerisms were perfectly mastered as if one was raised in the imperial palace since childhood, indeed the general lady was a vixin that could cast spells on males.

　　"Mistress, lady Giana has arrived."

　　Lilith raised a brow at that and smiled.

　　"One would ask lady to have a cup of tea with this one."

　　"This concubine is humbled that sister has wholeheartedly accepted this one and is even willing to share memories." Giana motioned her servant to pour tea as she sat at the chair settled under the tree beside Lilith.

　　There were thousand kinds of humans- some resembled Prime Minister Zhan's daughter Cecelia- what she wished for was to be said straightforwardly and not hidden under the fa?ade of friendship, then there were some like Giana, who pretended to be close and would not go against the winds when they were strong yet once the winds weakened she would show her true colors at that time.

　　"Kun sung tea of west? General lady is truly graceful and elegant, this concubine was under a medicine master of Kun when he taught one how to brew tea of this kind. Watching sister drink it brings back a reminiscence of old times.

　　Lilith raised a brow at that before laughing merrily making the woman sitting stumped. She had only one 'sister' and that was Artilia, apart from her, Yialos and General Casagon, only Sultan Zexzerus had the courage to call her that.

　　"This one is not your sister lady Giana." As if she was truly hurt with those words the woman had tears streaming down her irises appearing that she was bullied before saying.

　　"What is sister saying? Afterall we have same husband...this one understands that sister is angry from this one yet one cannot break the code of conduct." Their interaction had attracted the eyes of numerous people working in the mansion.

　　Giana felt that despite Lilith's beauty that could not be described in mere words this woman did not understood how to capture hearts. What men desired was a female that can be obedient, soft and always followed them, for now General Azarios liked her due to her appearance but men were creatures that usually got tired of constant things thus she had a better chance to curtail Lilith power and grow hers.

　　Lilith whom she thought would be affected by the crying rose slowly before looking down at her with a very joyous smile.

　　"This one has enough of the tea." Before she could go, fingers wrapped around Lilith's hand that stopped the woman.

　　"Sister! this one was too sensitive and took sister wrongly! One apologizes! L-Lets go to.....to the pond." The walk to the pond was neither too close nor too far yet each of the women were accompanied by their servants. A moment Lilith was walking and the very other she smiled upon watching the feet that were slightly in her way to make her tumble.

　　Before Giana could have a laugh as she made the General lady fall in the pool unable to breathe, she herself was tumbled into the pond that was of depth equaling to the height of an elephant.

　　"LADY! SOMEONE COME SAVE THE LADY!" Chaos and mayhem covered the entire Lotus mansion as most of the servants did not care to go and see what happened to the concubine while soldiers rushed to the place. The female maids of Giana listened to the desperate screams of their master yet could not allow a soldier to touch her thus they themselves used a bamboo pole given by a soldier to go inside the water and get their grace out.

　　It was not that the woman did not had an idea of how to swim, it was just that she could see someone from here that was watching her and Lilith very keenly thus even if she fell into the water she could not let this opportunity go. Emperor Alexander promised her wealth, Empress Seycea that she would protect her so there was no way that she could let go of this one chance.

　　When she was dragged out after several attempts coughing up the water heavily the woman cried pitifully and shuddered.

　　"General lady this one was wrong, this concubine was wrong! This one would not tell General anything so don't kill this one!" The voice was so sharp that it garnered the attention of a few servants that murmured among themselves before their voice was gone as they saw their master walking towards the pond.

　　"This concubine was wrong! H-Husband General!"

　　Giana swiftly got up trying to bow down before she stumbled again hoping that the man would support her yet if it were not her maids that let her stand with their help then she might have fallen on the floor.

　　"What is happening?" Azarios raised a brow at Lilith to which she turned her head away yet Giana seeing that this was the opportunity tried to explain.

　　"N-Nothing! This was nothing!" Tears trailed down her face making her look as if she would have died if he was not there, the maiden did not looked into his eye appearing miserable, her servant instead kowtowed on the floor.

　　"General that is not true! This one is willing to take any punishment but one cannot see one's lady suffer." The maid that bowed was not stopped by Giana as she continued without watching the General's face.

　　"It was her grace General lady that tried to harm my master by throwing her into the deep waters! This one asks General to provide justice to my lady." If another official was presented with a situation then no matter how much they doted on their wife, the least they would do was to lock them in their courtyard for several days, few days shall be enough for Giana to try to attract the attention of the General.

　　"Is what you maid saying is true? Did Lilith tried to do as such?" Giana stayed silent for some time before speaking.

　　"N-No its this one's fault."

　　At those moments Azarios smiled at Lilith.

　　"Does tulip remembers what this one promised before marrying? That one would fulfill all wishes of wife and would help in each aspect. Since the new concubine claim that it was my wife that tried to drown you yet could not succeed it indeed is the concubine's fault." The smile vanished as the frosty indifferent eyes thundered as lips commanded to the soldiers

　　"Drown her" Horrified screams echoed in the background as the woman was held into a grasp before she was being thrown into the water.

　　Her head was held underwater with the brutal force for some time before she was declared dead.