Whispers of a Dead Empire

The voice in my head was faint, yet it was filled with certainty and confidence. But just as quickly as it came, it vanished. Perhaps it was right. If the unawakened undead had this much power, I may need to whisper back. I would need to manipulate the masses and maneuver them into a spot that would benefit me.

Was it manipulation? Yes, but it would be for the greater good. My reservation slowly melted away and was replaced by a sense of purpose. All that mattered would be the safety of the empire and its future direction. "Kharon, I think I'm going to slide in a few things to see if I can influence them. Since they seem to have so much power, let's use that."

The flames in his eyes danced as he regarded me; at that moment, I could almost swear that I saw his face twist into a grin. "I like the way you think, mistress. To stay on top of things, we must use everything at our disposal. Doubly so if you want to keep your foundation stable."

I pursed my lips slightly and nodded my head. I wanted to be an empress, but that meant that I had to act like one. There would be some hard choices that I would have to make. But sometimes the right choice isn't a good one. "Thank you, Kharon. I appreciate the help." I dropped the topic and moved on to something else.

"Kharon, I decided I wanted to leave the domain for a bit. Partly for diplomatic reasons, and so I can get away for a bit. That said, it would allow you some time for a vacation." Thinking back, I wasn't sure where the idea came from for leaving, but I couldn't help but agree with it.

"That.." He trailed for a few seconds as if he was taken aback by what I said. "Is rather bold of you. It was something that I didn't expect you would do. But there are a few merits to it." He sat back forward in his chair and interlaced his fingers.

"Yeah, but it's something that I wanted to talk to you about first. Will I be able to read anything from the outside world? Is it a good idea?" I let a few questions that were on my mind slip out.

"Well, I can already see a few good things that would come from that. But the bigger question is, are you ready to do something like that?"

I stared up at him as I chewed on his words. Was I ready? Possibly. I was still trying to grow into the mold I had made for myself, and the only way I could keep growing was by putting myself into the situations that would force me to grow, not just as a person but as an empress. So with that being said, even if I'm not ready, I would have to do it, regardless.

"Honestly, Kharon, I'm not sure if I'm ready. But it's a chance to get out, and actually get a bearing on the outside world. But above all else, it gives me a chance to purchase certain goods that otherwise would have been out of my grasp." It felt like it was an excuse to just get out of here for a bit.

He slowly bobbed his head and brought his jaw together with a soft click. "Interesting. Naturally, for your sake, I would like to decline, but the fact that you brought it up to me means that you have already decided to leave. It's just a matter of when."

A nervous chuckle escaped from my lips. Ah, he knows me too well.

"Yeah, I've already decided, but I already know what I need to work on beforehand."

"What would that be then?" He tilted his head slightly, and his eyes pulsed once more.

Sometimes I wasn't sure about him. Was he curious, or was he prying to get me to figure it out on my own? "Well, I'm going to lock in my next class and decide on an actual combat path. I've been a bit of a hybrid for too long, and I should really master something."

"A jack of all trades but master of none." He brought his teeth together once more and nodded his head slowly. The quote reminded me of home but also of my father. But as I was about to speak and agree with him, he spoke up again. "But often, it's better than a master of one."

"I didn't realize that the quote continued," I murmured as I thought back to all the times my dad often used that quote. He really didn't like when I was working on too many things at once. I could strongly remember each time he was angry with me. 'To get anywhere in life, you must set your sights on a single specialty. A jack of all trades will have no one's respect.' Something that he often told me and something that I often ignored.

"Few do realize that. But being a jack of all trades isn't exactly a bad thing. It gives you a certain depth of knowledge that mastering something just can't match. Instead of forcing yourself to walk down a set path, use your general knowledge to your advantage. You may find it beneficial." His left eye flickered slightly as if he had just winked at me.

But what he said made so much sense. I knew how to use a blade but also how to use my fist. I knew how to shoot a bow and use my soul. If I just took one path, everything I took the time to learn would go to waste. Instead, I want to choose a class that combines everything into one and kept expanding my knowledge base. "I see. Thank you, Kharon." I pulled my gaze upwards once more and smiled at him. He did a lot, and I was so thankful for it. I would be so lost without him.

"So, while you are here, tell me, how are things in your romantic life?" As soon as I registered what he said, I could detect a very strong amount of amusement in his voice.

But how did he find out? I could feel the familiar twinge of heat as it settled into my cheeks. "I'm not sure what you are talking about." Quickly, without a second thought, I fell into a defensive mode. Not that I didn't trust Kharon, I wasn't expecting that he knew.

"Come now, mistress. There isn't much that happens here in the domain that I don't know about." Again, as he stared at me, I swore I could see a smile cross the skeleton's face.

I was hoping to keep it a secret. Not because I'm embarrassed, but because I wanted to keep it a secret for almost everyone. I didn't want the world to know. "It's going well. I'm happy, and I assume she's happy as well." My gaze floated over to Alessia, and another smile slowly spread.

"I'm very happy indeed," Alessia spoke up, and I saw her look at me from the corner of her eyes.

I gave her a quick wink before shifting my gaze back to my advisor. "But why do you ask?" The previous conversation had left my mind, forgotten by the shock of Kharon asking about my relationship.

"Well, Nyx has brought it up. She knows that something is going on between you two, and she is struggling to figure out what. I would recommend talking to her and explaining everything; otherwise, she may come to her own conclusions, which would be disastrous."

I sighed in defeat upon hearing what he had to say. I didn't want Nyx to know just yet. But now that puts me in a really tight spot. "What did she say?"

"She has noticed that you and Alessia do certain things in private, which sparked questions I didn't answer. However, I will say that she is growing jealous of it. So perhaps that is something that should be taken care of." His fingers kept clenching before relaxing a bit.

I quickly thought back to the instances when she could have seen Alessia together like that. But I came up blank. Each time she was asleep or occupied. The only time that Alessia and I had done stuff like that in front of her wasn't too long ago. "Kharon, did she visit you recently?"

He remained silent for a few seconds, his eyes flickering in varying brightness before his teeth clattered in what sounded like a sigh. "She has, but I didn't want her to earn your ire for something natural."

I pinched my nose and shook my head. Now I understand what Alessia was getting at. "I'm not mad at her. She has questions and seeks answers on her own, which makes me happy. But it's also frustrating that she sneaks around to do it."

"Nyx is very strong-willed, and we know she doesn't do the things she does maliciously. However, she can be a bit impulsive." He eyed me strangely for a moment, and I knew exactly what he was getting at. Like mother, like daughter.

"I'll talk to her." I nodded my head and mentally sighed. It was something that I was going to have to nip as soon as possible.