"You do know, if you speak ill of the palace, you may not live a long peaceful life," she said and it made me look down. Indeed, I was saying that as a mere suggestion, but it is an implication that my words may insult those who are in the palace.
Even so, I trust her judgment for this test is a wit that she herself had used against me before. She was the one who told me not to trust someone merely because of words, nor act upon what is not right to anyone.
A test of which can implant no less than what meets the eye. It brings them much closer, then uses it against them as enemies. In fact, if I asked her without a faint of trust, I was not sure how I could prove it. 
"I speak not, your majesty, but you may know me, as I was the fiance of the Second Prince. The power of his confidence lies beyond uncertainty because he can fight merely because of me," I quietly said as I looked her in the eye. 
The empress gently smiles and soon strikes me with coldness and barrenness. I speak no lie about the second prince, I stated only the facts. She said herself that she will reform to hear my true intentions, but never if I put my card on the table. 
I am dealing with the empress here, the sovereign of her majesty who's known for being the dignified leashed goddess of the current emperor. She is the brain and operation of the entire management of the palace, and she stood above all of them.
The mother of all, the bravest and the most righteous amongst many. The forsaken beauty of the High Table, and the flower that has withered. 
If I mistook her for an amateur, I cannot call myself the empress first and last pupil. 
"I see," then she smiled as she took the cup of tea from the table. "Then should I assume his highness as well has bewitched you? The daughter of Duke Requeves? Second most powerful Duke's in the empire?"
I simply sneered as I grinned. I cannot seem to deny that, surely I was a fool, though the power struggle released uncertainty, I mistook one's affection as earnest sincerity.
My wrong doings had crossed the line which I was forced to grovel on the ground. 
The empress does not show such hostility if she has no strategies. However, I can assure myself that she's baiting my weakness to come out. She was confident of me breaking, but she was gravely ill. 
"My, the power of my father does bewitch even those who seek it," before I took the cup on the table, I quietly peaked back at the one who sat next to me. I fear he might get bored while listening to women's verbal debates. 
But my worry betrayed me not. Kalester was simply observing us, without even interfering nor did he breath loudly. Just like a spectator who was watching from a distance, it made me realize how composed it was this way. 
I hid a small smile as I took a sip on the tea. It will be too obvious if someone sees me smiling upon staring at Kalester's proud face. 
"You are still young, dear lady, I hope you know what you're dealing with for such uncertainty can lead to nowhere but despair," before I realized, the empress had spoken to me. 
With a simple tap, I put the tea down with my face distorted from confusion. I did not know how to take the news as I properly composed myself to bulge. She took me by surprise, I admit that the trick she used was to fail me from her test.
"I fear not your majesty, so long as I breathe I shall compel on what may come to me," I said. 
"You sounded as if you lived by such a law and you have surpassed it completely," she pulled herself and she nodded. "For mankind's arrogance is just feign ignorance."
I clenched my fist as I looked down. She was right, humans are arrogant, who seek power even if they can't have it all. They want it for themselves and will fight or either kill to gain it. Therefore, they are deemed arrogant of others' pain amidst their conquest, such as why they can never learn how to properly live.
"Indeed you are right, hence you still believe in them as you believe in your husband, are you not?" I asked her strongly, as I carefully pulled down another one of my cards against her. 
That card is all about her painful tragedies. I fear that I might go too far. That of course I am not sure, for she taught me this when arguing with another. It was her knowledge against her current, but I cannot always blame her teaching.
Fear not as guilt is a temporary result. It shall pass well enough or sooner, when that happens, it will be over. 
"Child, your resistance is unparalleled for I will not be swayed by your mere word. However, given that as you show the potential of surviving against me, I will acknowledge your bravery, so fret not for I am willing to listen on whatever you may have come to disclose," she said while her eyes were locked upon me.
I was not sure how to respond, because I knew very well that I cannot win against her. The rule of this game is that the first to show much reaction will be defeated, and the winner will remain. 
I never once defeated her in this verbal communication. So, I tried my best to show her my potential. Now my efforts have paid me a lot of assurance. 
Indeed, she's truly formidable. 
"I will not make it harder for you to understand, your majesty, we are here to make a request about our permission to meet the first prince, our access was denied by you, so we are hoping for your aid," it took me a few seconds to realize the silence that is going on. 
Yet, I was only worried more than I thought. "I know I am aski—"
"No, I am afraid not, my child, if you think I denied your permission merely because of your status, that is not true," she said and then she crossed both of her hands. "I denied it because my son is very ill and he's not able to speak to anyone. I am afraid his sickness is contagious, and it may spread wide. So, I denied all of those who wished to see him. I do hope you understand what I fret the most."
Is his sickness contagious? I was not aware that his sickness had worsened. No, more importantly he is not supposed to be contagious.
I shifted to look at Kalester, and when I noticed that he was not surprised, I was sure he was already aware of it. There are mysterious things that I still don't know about Kalester, even things I was concerned about.
I quickly looked back at her majesty and I sadly smiled. "If that is so, I will not force my way out, however, may I know what illness he is currently facing?"
The empress nodded silently. "It's confidential information but since you are here with this young man, I guess I can trust you a bit," she said as she gave a quick look to the person beside me. 
"Then, I must thank this young man," I said. 
"My son has been very weak at a young age, that is why he's always bedridden. Two years ago, I believe that started when he began coughing blood, and his fever often happens. I thought it was a minor sickness, that is why we reform to cure him by feeding him medicine. Until a moment ago, when his sickness wasn't subdued, we called a doctor and said that his condition is not normally feverish," she paused before she looked me in the eye. 
"Are you aware of a sickness called Ephesia Rush?" She asked. 
Ephesia Rush? I heard—no, I learned about that—it was a sickness that few people have suffered, an epidemic that brought fear into the hearts of many. A contagious sickness, a plague but now it is a virus that can be lethal to the human body.
Before I regressed to the past, a year before my execution. A terror plunged beyond the surface of the commoners footsteps, a disease that plucks the fear of everyone. 
This disease is known as Ephesia Rush, it is not a virus but it is contagious. An Ephesia Rush can affect both mind and body. The cure for this sickness is not available, nor has anyone yet discovered its cure. A disease that slowly consumes everyone with rushes till they die. 
"I... I have heard of it, yes, but I... I have not seen it," I lied. I can't tell her that I came from a distant future, no one will believe me, I am sure Kalester went through the same process as I did. No need to repeat the failures that had happened.
"Hmm... My son has an Ephesia Rush, and there's no cure," she said as she tilted and she looked at me. "Ephesia Rush is a rare sickness that nobles mostly suffer from. I fear that he might not last long, since we barely had any cure for him."
Cure for Ephesia Rush? When it comes to medical attribution, I am not quite confident in myself. However, I have seen it before, a group of medical doctors contributed to spread a cure for this kind of sickness. 
They are not as famous as they seem, regardless, they helped the people without much effort. A cure was made but it was too late that the first prince died on the spot. 
If we develop this cure, we might be able to save his highness from dying. 
"I'd like to take a gamble with your majesty," I said, raising the cup of tea in my hand. I have never seen his highness before, and he was once praised for his endeavor even though he was sick.
He was the only hindrance to Daniel's succession as a Crown Prince, that is why Daniel's mother used any means of trick to have the first prince demoted from the succession as a Crown Prince. 
"Oh, and what gamble are you willing to make?" She asked playfully, but she was serious when she was looking at me.
I know I will sound like I am a traitor to his majesty, but I didn't care anymore. The most powerful families under my father, and Valentine at my side, even if revolution outbreaks, we will surely win it. 
It is a gamble with my life on the line. "I know of a way to cure the first prince's disease, and to save him from dying in the near future," I stated and watched the empress expression drifted slowly. 
Then her eyes darted on me. "H... How!? No, can you guarantee this gamble with your own life?"
"Your majesty!?" 
I looked and held Kalester's hand to calm him down. He looked at me for a moment before he forcefully nodded to my plan. I didn't tell him that I am wagering my life with the empress in case it needs to be. He must be worried that if I fail, my life will end like that.
However, I trust my knowledge and strength. 
"Yes, I will wager my life and I will cure his highness," it took the empress quite some time before she proceeded with a smile. 
Did I convince her? I am not sure as the empress' smile enlightened me to think so. I know she must be having a hard time trusting someone like me, but I had no choice. The Second Prince faction has grown because of me, and it will not change even if I break up with him.
"I am not sure how to respond with your declaration, this is not just any statement of words, young lady," she said as she shook her head and looked down. "Therefore, I will gamble with you as well and trust your words."
I happily looked at her and smiled. "Thank you so much your majesty!" 
Before I knew it, I was looking at Kalester and he was looking at me. Our eyes met and he smiled as he held my hands. Kalester, I finally did it, I took the first step! His eyes followed and he nodded.
"Ahem," when I looked back, her majesty was coughing and I thought she was sick, but it's not that—she saw what happened—that is why I immediately took my hands back and I strengthened my back.