The Dragon Queen and her mates.
Chapter 186: Smell of corruption

Chapter 186: Smell of corruption

" I have been here for quite some time, your majesty." Silver eyes glared at Yakov as Blaise placed a hand on his chest as he answered her question. " Yesterday incident had something to do with dark magic that was why I was invited to take a look at the situation around by the first consort but looks like my arrival here completely slipped his mind and he simply forgot to mention it to you, I have to say that I am quite disappointed by my lack of presence, from now on I will try to work hard to get myself noticed."

The underlying meaning of the entire paragraph was that if something like this happens again then I will make sure to attract your attention by a flashier means and knowing Blaise, Bree could almost imagine what kind of entrance would he make in case something like the same situation was to happen again.

" I am glad that you found the time to complain about me third consort but the truth is that I expected you to leave for the palace by now, after all, you are the only Archmage of the empire wouldn’t it be a difficult situation for the mages under you if you were to leave them alone like that?" Yakov shot back fluently as if he has long prepared a diatribe to be hurled at Blaise in case he was to make things difficult for Yakov.

Bree looked at the two glaring males and turned her head to face the front, this wasn’t her mess and she wasn’t going to clean it up either. It was clearly written in the book that the consorts though not in love with the Queen, despised sharing her with another male. They were dominant males and they were supposed to be the only ones for their mate but reality struck them hard and they were mated to a woman who already had countless mates by her side.

Of course, that wasn’t Bree’s fault either as a dragon shifter and the one in charge of the power flow of the Empire, she was supposed to give birth to a number of heirs for the throne. And mating bond was something that she could not choose for herself anyway.

" Looks like he is here," she ignored the yammering that was going behind her and looked at the big carriage that came rushing past the streets in a hurry. " The Duke is here, so make sure to act accordingly we can’t have him doubt us."

She was here to take a good look at what the Duke was hiding by barricading his territory like such, she raised her eyes to look at the tall stone walls and then skimmed the streets that were filled with guards and knights as if they were keeping an eye on something. Such security wasn’t even found in the capital where she, the Empress of the country stayed.

Something was indeed fishy here.

" Your majesty you are here! I am so glad to see you." Duke Cilantro looked just as Bree thought he would, with velvety red cloaks covering his body, his body reeked of expensive perfume with a bunch of heavy neck jewellery for men. He jumped down the carriage with his portly body and stumbled but thankfully his aide reached out to him and straightened him again. Only then did the Duke shake himself of the small trip to dizziness and then smiled at Bree again. " I did not expect for her majesty to visit my humble abode, I am shocked and beyond grateful that you came here, your majesty but of course, if you would have told me that you were coming then I would have prepared for a lot of fanfare."

" Is that so?" Bree tilted her head and smiled at the Duke as if she was charmed by what he said. " I have to say that you really make me feel giddy, Duke. It has been such a long time since I came out and your warm welcome only makes me feel touched."

Duke Cilantro looked shocked as he looked at Bree, clearly, he has expected anything but this, he might have expected that Bree would come charging at him like she might have done in the past but what Duke Cilantro didn’t know was that the former Queen wasn’t only changed on the surface, she was thoroughly changed on the inside as well!

Bree has been working in the corporate world for a very long time and she knew how to deal with people like Duke Cilantro. Greedy, unscrupulous, have no respect for their seniors and in charge.

In her office, many young employees were the same even though she was the head of her department she was often treated as if she was a fool. They would look at her like a leech sticking to her chair when she did not deserve it and Bree would play along with them as well. The reason was simple, they all believed in one thing and that was —— she is a woman what can she even do?

So, they have been treated like an idiot. Bree to have acted accordingly, smiling and playing along with them until she grasped their weakness in her hands.

She was only an idiot until she didn’t have the leverage over them.

Wasn’t it the same for the men in this world, even though she was the Empress, they didn’t respect her? Believing that she was just a woman, what can she even do to them ... narrow-minded and stiff as ever believing that they are not wrong in what they are doing.

So, if she pretended to be a dumb woman whom they can easily please with riches and gifts... sooner or later they will expose their cards wouldn’t they?

She smiled at the Duke in a jovial manner as she looked at the carriage that was behind him and nodded her head in great satisfaction. " You have indeed worked hard, Duke Cilantro. After all keeping, your ruler happy is the smartest move and I like smart people."

Smart? Did she call him smart?

Both Yakov and Blaise turned to look at Bree one after another, she got to be joking with them! How was this man anything but a fool? He dressed so conspicuously in front of the Queen and even brought such a big carriage to flaunt his wealth, no matter how they looked at him, he was a big fool all right!

Bree however ignored the two of them and continued to praise Duke Cilantro. " I have to say that ever since I have become the Queen, everyone looks at me with wary eyes they will purposely serve me lightly to make it look like they are nothing but honest which in my eye is nothing but nonsense. I as the Queen am not foolish to think that there is no corruption under my nose but as long as I get some..." she rubbed her forefinger and thumb together before leaning close to Duke Cilantro and whispered. " Benefits, who am I to complain, after all, in the end, I too like the comfort of the world. If not I wouldn’t have allowed the Duke to make so many changes in his territory, make sure that you treat me well in return Duke."

Duke Cilantro looked at the Queen and the sneaky moves she was pulling in front of him and his grin widened in surprise. " Right you are majesty!" How can he forget that the Queen too has been living a life of debaucher ever since she took the throne from her father? As a Noble enjoying the comfiest comforts was her right!

" Please come this way, the carriage that I have prepared for you is the best out of best! You wouldn’t have the slightest bit of discomfort I swear" pointing to the carriage that was standing gaudily in the middle of the street Duke Cilantro proudly exclaimed.

" I expected nothing less from a man as smart as you, Duke." She smiled before getting onto the carriage after the Duke helped her up, from start to finish she pretended to be really satisfied with everything including the interior of the carriage.

The more she praised the Duke, the more pleased he became. But unlike the men in her office he was smarter, he didn’t say much about what he was doing in the territory and how and where he was putting the money that he was earning from the harbours but Bree wasn’t in a hurry either. She kept her smile in place and made sure that she buttered the Duke nicely before arriving at his mansion.

However, just as the carriage stopped in front of the palace-like building that was just as big as her own palace, she couldn’t help but sniff the air around her. Maybe it was just her being overly sensitive but the smell of corruption was corroding her nostrils.

" I welcome you to the territory of the Cilantros!" roared the Duke as he pushed open the door of the carriage.