Concubine Veronika was the niece of a minister of the former court. With the help of her mother, she was able to become a concubine of the emperor. However, despite being well informed that the emperor had eyes for no one except the Emperor Consort, his omega mate, Kean Goddard, Concubine Veronika couldn’t help but be unhappy. According to her, there was no skill that the she didn’t possess, making her one of the most refined ladies of the land. If she hadn’t married the emperor, she could have married a rich nobleman who would have at least appreciated her. Being in the state she was in today; she had decided to take matters into her own hands and help Consort Lily take down Kean Goddard.
For this, she hired a maid called Maya, who was bold and righteous. Easy to convince and difficult to deviate from what she believed in. Maya was assigned a simple task: spy on Kean Goddard, the Emperor Consort.
The beta woman had heard many rumours about the Omega Emperor Consort. As per what she had heard, Kean Goddard had gained his title by wrapping the emperor around his pinky finger and bewitched the emperor. He was a sickly looking omega with the gaze of an eagle. Once his gaze lands on a person, it takes him only three seconds to find out the truth about them. Based on these rumours, Maya thought it was an understatement to say she was afraid.
The entire "spying" business was set into motion actively when Consort Lily had gotten a hold of the internal expense records by ill means. The internal household records and expenses were the duty of the Emperor Consort, and interfering in such a manner could be counted as an act of defiance against the emperor. However, seeing that Kean Goddard had requested for his third bathtub to be delivered to the emperor’s quarters as the previous two were damaged, that too within a week, looked very suspicious to Consort Lily.
However, Consort Lily was desperate to find a way to take her rightful place; after all, she was the daughter of a noble who had a much higher standing than any Kean Goddards. Hence she recruited Concubine Veronika, someone who could never be a threat to her, in her mission to get rid of the Emperor Consort.
Concubine Veronika knew what Consort Lily thought of her and yet played along. It was never wise to show all your cards at once, she thought.
All these events led to Maya going outside the emperor’s rooms, trying to find more about the bathtubs. She had managed to hide herself from view behind the cover of the tree as she stood just outside the eastern palace and watched on for any clues.
"Do you need something?" A man's voice asked from behind her. Maya was startled, however she was quick to turn around and bow to the man standing there. She realised that the man was accompanied by a minister from the court based on his attire. The man dismisses the minister and turns his attention fully on Maya, waiting for an answer.
"Sir, I am just looking for the head eunuch. The office wanted to inquire about the quality of baths since three have already been destroyed in the last month." Maya says as she looks at the omega in front of her. He was dressed in all red, just like the ministers but had no crown on his head. She deliberates whether this could be the Emperor Consort but dismisses the thought immediately.
"Ah. I heard about those. Why don't you tell Concubine Veronika not to worry. You are her servant right? I have already told the department to get the next ones lined with metal. This way it will not break."
Maya nods and walks away when dismissed. When she reports the incident to her mistress, she throws a teacup at her head, saying that it was probably the Emperor Consort Kean Goddard. Maya then makes the mistake of telling her mistress that if the omega she met was Kean Goddard, then he was not at all pale or unkind as Concubine Veronika had described him. Concubine Veronika then threatens Maya to be sold to the brothel if she keeps defying her and dismisses her.
