Chapter 31: The room she left for you (I).

Chapter 31: The room she left for you (I).

Elizabeth's POV

With no more guards around, we found my mother's quarters looking well kept and dusted from the outside.

"Well we're here, princess." (Victoria) stopped holding my hand taking out something from her [Storage Ring]. "I kept two spares, now one of them is now yours."

I opened my palm, receiving the item- it was a key… most likely it's the key to my mother's room.

"Go on, open it." She instructed, smiling sweetly, my mind was running on what lies behind this door.

"Okay, I'll open it." I placed the key tip into the lock and twisted it, hearing a faint click before the doors opened letting out a squeak.

"It appears it will need a bit of oil after." (Victoria) held the door open for me, so I went ahead inside.

"Huh…"

It was as I expected, everything seemed normal.

From the shelves, the bed with old sheets, the portraits of flowers and an untouched jewelry box in her bedside table.

"The empress was like any other girl who fancied jewelry." I muttered, opening the jewelry box hoping to see what kind of gems she's kept but- "It's empty."

"Did someone take all of the jewelry here?" I turned to Victoria who locked the door, I could see her body relaxing in knowing that no guard would intrude in on us snooping around the old empress' bedroom.

"Yes they emptied it, but you could say she left more than just jewelry to you, princess." Her words began to confuse me.

So what is it that the former empress left behind?

What's so great about this room that Victoria would even tell me that this is her favorite spot of all to be in?

Seeing that I was struggling what was the big deal if things, Victoria was now kind enough to tell me what was in store.

"Inspect the box, princess. Empress Amelia was always the trickster when it came to hidden passages."

The moment she said hidden passages my eyes twinkled in interest, almost leaping out of the chair I'm standing on just to reach the top of the bedside table.

"Hidden passages?!" I blurted out loudly, forgetting that we're supposed to be on a stealth mission to not get caught.

"Y-Your voice, princess."

"Oops… sorry…! I'll lower it down."

The former empress was a crazy woman that has a lot of tricks on her sleeve, this jewel box must have a secret lever then?

I reached my hand out to the jewelry box feeling every nook and cranny of it, inspecting the wood it was made with- the designs of the sides- my finger would trace them all but I felt nothing weird of the sort outside.

So the lever must be inside.

"Hah…"

I frowned my eyebrows after feeling the floor of the jewelry box stuck to the bedside table.

Poke… poke…

I grinned in Victory knowing I've hit the jackpot on where the lever should be.

"Is this a hidden compartment?" I turned to Victoria looking proud of my answer.

"Smart and perceptive, just like your mother. When I first came here I didn't know what that word meant, well done." (Victoria)

"So how do you open this? Should we pry it open?" I suggested seeing that it just would… it wouldn't be too hard to do so.

"I wouldn't destroy any piece of it if I were you, traps are laid every inch of this room. If it detects an intruder is trying to break in, it won't hesitate to put someone in a deep sleep." (Victoria) tells me and I immediately stepped away a bit from the jewelry box waiting for her instructions on how to properly open it without dying.

The empress must be one prepared person for her to be laying traps like that.

"She taught me a few command spells to open it-"

"Command spells?"

Hold on, hold on- so you're telling me that there's other spells other than the normal four elements?

Air, Fire, Earth and Water?

There are also branches of these said main elements like my father's ice magic but- this is the first time I'm hearing command spells.

"I-I never heard of those before." I might actually think the former empress is one hell of a beast.

"I should've told you, but your mother insisted on keeping it a secret. She's made several spells that were only meant for her own use." (Victoria) raises her hand and places it on top of the jewelry box, closing her eyes.

"She made her own kind of magic language only I and a few others know."

The air around the room changed, Victoria's figure was having a different kind of green glow. "You have to imagine the words, it's hard… I haven't done this in a while."

Scriptures of letters and symbols appeared flowing out of her body.

Is that the command spell?!

"Wait…"

Is it all written in phonetic English code? Those alphabet letters- hyphens- periods and brackets- is this what I think it is?

"The former empress…"

Who really is she-?!

For someone to make these so called command spells- This is all code!

Every letter that floated around, I tried reading them all before they pieced together in one long line.

"{Command.order: Open}."

Clack!

We opened the jewelry box to see the wooden floor was no longer there, a tiny lever waiting to be pulled said hi.

"Cough…"

That's also one dirty and dusty lever.

"So much security, all for that one little lever." I wondered if Victoria didn't get the command spell right, what kind of other traps are hiding in plain sight in this room?

"The empress' real treasure lies below."

"Below? Does the castle have a basement? Or like- a dungeon?!"

"I don't quite remember, ah… it's for erm. Hmm… maybe I'll explain to you once you're a bit younger?" (Victoria) looks flustered, as she covers her mouth refusing to meet my eye.

"Oh come on! I'm plenty grown!" I'm actually at least- or should be in my twenties mentally but I have to admit pretending to be five years old is not as easy as it looks.

"Let's just say it's for people who want to conduct their affairs in private." she finally relented and gave me the answer I needed.

I don't know if I'm regretting asking or curious to know more.

"Ohhh…"

That.

Ewww, nasty.

I forget how some adults could be so horny and dirty.

"Not to worry it's been repurposed- made into something amazing, and this is your early eighteenth birthday gift." (Victoria) pulled the lever and I heard a faint click.

"I hope the empress won't be too mad. I've gone off course with your gift, she should have hidden her deadly weapons somewhere you wouldn't reach… probably."

Takatak takatak takataka…

"What is that sound?"

"The elevator."

…

The bedside table moved swiftly to the side, revealing a hidden passage leading down below. Light flicked on both sides, leaving me fascinated with the empress' creation.

I could see that the empress used a pulley system- but her powersource that she used… it could be electricity or did she find a way to use mana instead?

It all puzzled me and I wanted to know more. There has to be more-!

"It's amazing and… a bit loud."

"Indeed… it hasn't been cleaned in a long time." (Victoria) slides her finger to reveal the dust gathered, she clicks her tongue wiping it off with her skirt. "Some of the metal might have been rusted, but knowing the empress she's made plans for the passenger's safety just in case the unfortunate happened."

"Unfortunate happened- maybe we should make sure it's safe first-"

Bam.

The cable has now been fully lifted, stopping at our floor.

Perhaps I've had way too many nightmares about elevators randomly malfunctioning leading to my death.

"Not to worry princess Elizabeth, you're here with me. I'll be able to use my magic if there will be a time it's needed. Now, shall we go?" She offers a hand and I take it, shaking in fear.

"Whatever you do, don't let go." I tell Victoria who nods as we go inside the elevator. "This place even has… floors?"

Ding!

Victoria pushed the very last button labeled 'F1'.

"Floor one should be our first stop."

First all of that command spells, coding language- the elevator- could she be a genius or someone from… my world?

"Are you liking some of your mother's gifts yet?" (Victoria) asked, smiling sweetly waiting for my reply.

"Liking and… just so… confused?"

There's just so much to absorb, and it made me think if the empress was also a victim of the god of chaos that sent me here.

"I felt the same thing when I first came to this place, I was shocked and wondered how a woman like her could build all of this in secret?" (Victoria) laughed, but it doesn't look like it was a happy one but more like she's losing her mind.

"The empress is originally not from here, she comes from the land of the sun so we had no idea how she even got her things here."

The land of the sun, a neighboring kingdom that is famous for their deserts and minerals.

"I'm guessing it's pretty hot there."

"Indeed, and it's very technologically advanced compared to ours, we're still living in the middle ages." (Victoria) chuckles roasting the kingdom she was born in, and I agreed.

The building, traditions, food knowledge- tools- etc. It's all outdated.

From the weapons, the only modern looking one was Victoria's. The wiring system to provide light for all- was the empress' doing.

"Keep in mind, being an outsider not born in the land of snow- she was favored more than the emperor by the commoners." (Victoria) stares at me before cupping both of my cheeks. "You remind me of her, so much that's why I can't stay away."

…

Huh…

"I guess the empress is really cool…"

If the empress came from the land of the sun- looks like I'll really be in store for what she left for my eighteenth birthday.