"I was young then, but even I understood that my life was as good as over after what the magistrate's son did to me. The best life a "tainted" woman like me could expect in the society I knew of was either to live a secluded life where we would not soil another's eye, or to head to the brothels.

Then the emperor came along, and everything I had resigned myself to was upended on its head. He even discovered the affinity I possessed and never realized, and gave me an offer of a life far better than any I had right to expect.

Was it so strange then, for me to decide to dedicate the rest of my life to his will? He GAVE me my current life, one I would have thought impossible before, so by this, I merely repaid his benevolence as best I could." - From the memoirs of the Shadow Empress.

"This subject is willing. Whatever His Imperial Majesty demanded, whether it be to wade through a sea of fire and blades, or for this subject to be a dog, shall be done," said Ying Xiao with conviction in her voice. Cal had just brought Xain and Leila over, and shortly after they explained to her that they wanted her opinion on their plans going ahead, the young girl stood up from her seat, knelt and saluted, then gave her reply without any hesitance. "All the benevolence granted to this subject, has been more than this subject could ever have dreamed of. This subject is willing to do anything to repay His Imperial Majesty's kindness."

Cal almost smirked as she saw Xain's rather flabbergasted look. Apparently the boy had not expected Ying Xiao to voice her agreement to anything he could ask for without even hearing what he wanted first. On his other side, Leila gave Xain a look that all but spelled out an "I-told-you-so" as she too struggled to keep her lips from quirking up.

"Told you, boy," said Cal nonchalantly as she affectionately rubbed Xain's hair, somewhat messing up his neatly combed hairdo. "You underestimate just how much what you did meant for that girl. Now all I can say is to not mistreat her, lest you want me to come over and spank you over my knees like I did to Lakhsman when he was a brat."

"Please spare me that, Cal," said the young emperor with an overdone scandalized look on his face. Even so, Xain knew that Cal meant what she said, not that he had any plan to mistreat Ying Xiao. "I will do her right, you have my word on that."

The young girl has her status as a blood mage now, that paired with her being Cal's disciple, would likely mean that nobody would protest when Xain chose to give Ying Xiao a position in the military. Her background was still considered a shameful one for most people - even by some on his side - but her other qualities would likely cover that up.

That is, if he only went that far. Xain and Layla had planned further, and had heavier roles for the young girl to play. In some ways, he felt both relieved and disappointed that Cal had not lambasted him over those plans, which still left a bit of a foul taste in his mouth.

He felt that if he went to enact those plans, it was as if he took advantage of the girl, who had clearly displayed her blind loyalty to him just now. Layla had been more nonchalant about it, but she had also grown up under her grandfather's - the prime minister's - tutelage, and politics were something she was taught about from very early on.

Xain himself had often viewed such politics with distaste, even though he knew they were necessary to maintain the fragile balance they had built after the civil war. He doubted he would ever acquire a taste for it, though, for after all that was what his ministers were for.

Either way, Cal had made it clear. Now the responsibility for Ying Xiao would be saddled to him. He looked over at the young girl seated before him once again after he bid her to rise from where she had knelt, and pondered for a moment.

It had been two whole years since he had left Ying Xiao under Cal's tutelage. The once small, timid, malnourished waif had grown over that time. The young girl remained small for her age, barely a meter and a half in height, but now her body had filled out more pleasantly despite how it remained slender. An impression of corded muscles hidden underneath the smooth skin were noticeable by them, visible on the arms exposed by the short sleeves of her tunic.

More importantly, the girl seemed to radiate a presence now, a self-assured one not unlike what he was used to seeing from Cal, albeit at a lesser magnitude. The girl's former timidity was nowhere to be found, replaced by a sense of power and confidence in herself, as if the young girl had been reborn.

And Xain could see from her eyes that the girl had meant every word she said earlier. His little whim to see the empire incognito years ago had resulted in the girl's rescue, and now she had basically pledged her life and loyalty to him, for him to use in any way he deemed fitting.

He only hoped that he would be a good enough ruler to live up to those heavy expectations laid on him.

"Understood. We accept your loyalty anew, Ying Xiao. Should you have unfinished matters here, see to them within this week, for we shall depart on firstday of the next week," said Xain, as he phrased himself like an emperor once again. It was something he generally avoided doing in private like this, but for the young girl he thought it was best that way for now.

"Don't be in a rush, make sure you finish things properly," added Layla from beside him. Unlike the rest of them who sat on straight-backed chairs, she lounged comfortably on a larger divan, as she rested on her back to account for her pregnancy. "And be sure to thank everyone properly as well,"

"Your will be done, your Imperial Majesties."