“That’s Lady Arsinoe – she basically runs the Peacock Palace. The consort brought her along from their homeland when she arrived.”

It was then that it finally clicked in Naomi’s head who this snooty woman was. This was the unnamed chief lady-in-waiting that the player had to defeat in order for the Peacock Consort to fall from grace – the miniboss before the villainess. It had been a prerequisite for the General romancing the Emperor’s younger brother – although why the young man had been so caught up in the Peacock faction was never really elaborated on. There had been a good many theories, most of them wildly extrapolatory – some would say hallucinatory – in their conclusions. Naomi felt wildly underlevelled for this clash, but then the fellow in green chimed in.

“Lady Arsinoe. It’s been a while since we’ve spoken.”

He spoke politely, although there was an undercurrent of annoyance. Lady Arsinoe, however, was more open with her venom.

“Ah, Young Master Argus. You may be a renowned skirt chaser, but surely you can aim higher than … this – although she is a princess, I suppose.”

The absolute nerve! Naomi summoned the steeliest expression that the Owl Princess’ rather mournful features were capable of.

“I don’t believe we’ve been formally introduced, Lady … Arsinoe, was it?” She feigned disinterest, checking in on her fingernails - shredded. Evidently the Princess had a habit of chewing on them.

Ha! She could be rude too. As Lady Arsinoe’s eyes narrowed and steam began to come out of her ears, that remark began to seem like a mistake. In the commotion, the servant girl had escaped the senior maid’s death grip and fled behind Naomi.

“Ah, Owl Princess. What a surprise to see you out and about – I thought you were still … ill. That jacket is a cut above your usual shabby dress, although it seems frightfully similar to one of my Lady’s cast-offs … but you wouldn’t be so rude, would you?”

Naomi felt a looming sense of panic. C’mon, pull something out of your ass!

“Um.”

Drat! Double drat! Goddamn it…

SYSTEM CAN OFFER USER <NAOMI> A ONE-TIME USE OF THE <SILVERTONGUE> ABILITY FREE OF CHARGE.

Yes! Yes please! Naomi could have wept with joy.

<SILVERTONGUE> ABILITY ACTIVATED.

She could feel the lines buzzing under her tongue – a strange feeling, sort of like sherbet.

“Is it wrong for family to share clothing? Unless, of course, you are insinuating … but you wouldn’t be so rude, Lady Arsinoe?” She fixed the poor woman with a pointed look, covering her mouth coquettishly. This was a technique borrowed from the pulp harem dramas her old roommate had always been watching.

“I – er – well, I meant –”

Lady Arsinoe looked desperate. Naomi was on a roll now.

“I may not be the most exceptional among my sisters, but my blood is still royal. Besides, one of your subordinates was mistreating this poor servant, merely for dropping some pastries. Is this the virtuous behaviour that is expected from a Consort’s ladies? After all, a subordinate’s misdeeds could tarnish their Lady’s reputation, and we wouldn’t want that, would we?

These words seemed to have struck a nerve. Unfortunately for Naomi, it seemed to be an angry one. Before she could even give a witty remark, Lady Arsinoe hit her in the nose with a solid right hook. Naomi felt a slight crunch, a hot rush of blood over her mouth and the sharp impact of her head on the pavement – the force of the punch threw her back astonishingly far, since the horrid lady hadn’t seemed all that strong. She was hazily aware of yelling then being lifted off the ground – shakily at first, by a person of slight stature, then more confidently by someone with a more athletic build – but eventually the rocking of vertigo lulled her to sleep.