RXN 11

Chapter 11

“Your Majesty, what are you looking for? If you tell me what you lost, I will call more people and have them search for it.”

The eunuch, who was looking around the hallway as Aslan had ordered, spoke with a troubled expression. After making sure that Roxanne had entered her room, Aslan shook his head.

“No, there is no need for that. I saw a cute little cat a moment ago, but it seems she has already run away. Anyway, it’s fine now, so go back and do your work.”

“Yes.”

As the eunuch bowed and left, Aslan looked toward where Roxanne had disappeared and gave a small laugh.

“I thought she was a canary in a cage, but it turns out she’s a bold little cat who enjoys going out at night.”

She seemed not to know his true identity, but that made it even more enjoyable for him. If she found out that he was the emperor, she would probably become busy trying to please him, just like everyone else. Then she would be no different from the countless women in the harem. Aslan did not want to lose this little bit of fun he had found in his usually boring and dull palace life.

Aisha had been officially chosen as Aslan’s consort when he was still a prince, and she had already received the title of Kadin. Among the emperor’s consorts, only four women could receive the title of Kadin, and so far, Aisha was the only one who held it. Moreover, Aisha came from the most powerful noble family in the Run Empire, so her authority in the harem was second only to the Empress Dowager.

The emperor also favored Aisha because she had been Aslan’s first love. To Aslan, Aisha reminded him of the bright memories of his childhood, a time when he had no worries or troubles and could simply enjoy himself.

Although Aisha had risen to a position that no other woman dared to challenge, she became lonelier as Aslan became emperor and the number of women in his harem continued to grow. Unlike Aisha, who wanted Aslan to be hers alone, she was merely one among his many women. Because of this, she became more and more anxious and could not stand quietly by while other women received his favor.

If another woman gave birth to a prince first, that woman would become the highest-ranking of the four Kadins, the Vak Kadin. The thought was so terrible that it could make Aisha suddenly sit up even in her sleep.

It was better to cut off a dangerous threat before it could grow, so Aisha used her position and power and never forgave her rivals. The women of the harem used every possible method, including bribing eunuchs, to gain access to the emperor’s bedroom. But it was not easy. Even if they were lucky enough to spend the night serving the emperor, that did not mean they would immediately receive his favor and enjoy wealth and honor.

If they failed to win the emperor’s heart that one night, they might never get another chance to catch his attention.

Moreover, among the women who became proud after spending the night with the emperor, several who had fallen out of Aisha’s favor disappeared from the harem without a trace soon afterward. No one ever tried to find out where they had gone. The women knew very well from experience how painful life in the harem could become if they fell out of Aisha’s favor, even if they were allowed to keep their lives.

“His Majesty the Emperor has arrived.”

After returning from suppressing the rebellion, the emperor visited the Empress Dowager’s residence after a long time to pay his respects.

As soon as the emperor entered the harem, every door leading to the inner palace was closed. Soldiers armed with axes and spears stood guard in front of the doors with stern expressions. Surrounded by soldiers carrying sharp weapons in several layers, the harem became completely cut off from the outside world, so that not even an ant could enter or leave.

Once the doors to the outside were closed, the usually quiet and slow-moving atmosphere of the harem became filled with excitement and tension.

The women took out their most beautiful clothes and dressed themselves carefully, making every effort to look more beautiful than anyone else. Because the women were hidden behind lattice windows, they could not meet the emperor directly. However, from the balcony overlooking the large hall, he could see all of them while drinking tea and talking with his mother.

Because of this, the women did everything they could to catch the emperor’s attention. The harem was so dazzling that it looked like a heavenly garden filled with rare and beautiful flowers blooming one after another.

“Such vulgar women.”

Aisha sneered as she watched the women desperately trying to catch the emperor’s attention.

When Aisha entered the hall, dressed more beautifully and elegantly than ever, the other women instinctively stepped back and let out small sighs. Aisha was confident that she was more beautiful than any other woman there, so even as she bowed in greeting, she wore a confident smile.

Just then, Melis came out with the newly entered women and bowed toward the balcony where the emperor was.

“These are the new women who have entered the palace.”

Among the ordinary-looking women trembling with a mixture of fear and curiosity, only one person, Roxanne, had a calm and indifferent expression.

Even so, her extraordinary beauty stood out among the dozens and hundreds of beautiful and splendid women gathered in the hall. Aisha could not deny that fact, and it made her extremely angry.

The emperor drank tea and talked with his mother as usual before leaving.

There was only one thing that was different from usual that day.

Not a single woman gathered there, not even Aisha, received the purple handkerchief that meant she had been chosen to spend the night with the emperor.

After that night, Aslan did not appear again.

Roxanne even went to the glass greenhouse, hoping to find him, but it was useless. She worried that perhaps he had gotten into trouble while trying to help her that night.

Even if they were not official consorts, all the women of the harem were said to belong to the emperor. If it became known that an ordinary eunuch had secretly met with a woman from the harem, he could get into serious trouble.

So Roxanne went to the back garden whenever she had time. But three days passed, then ten days, and he still did not appear.

Meanwhile, the flowers that had bloomed beautifully under the moonlight withered and lost their beauty. Roxanne picked up the lifeless petals that had fallen to the ground and sighed.

“He’ll be sad when he finds out the flowers have withered…”

“It can’t be helped, even if he is sad. Flowers naturally bloom and then wither.”

Roxanne turned around at the voice behind her.

Aslan was standing there with a serious expression, looking as if he had just arrived.

“What happened to you all this time?”

Her happiness at seeing him came out sounding almost like a complaint, but Roxanne herself did not realize how happy she was.

Aslan seemed pleased by how warmly Roxanne welcomed him, and the corners of his lips lifted slightly.

“It seems you missed me.”

Seeing Aslan acting strangely proud of himself, Roxanne became embarrassed. She wondered if she had acted too happy to see him.

“No, it’s not that I missed you… It’s just that every time I came to the greenhouse, I felt like I was trespassing in someone’s house when the owner wasn’t there.”

Aslan laughed, finding her deliberately cold attitude amusing.

“I went to inspect the eastern part of the empire.”

Come to think of it, Roxanne remembered hearing that the emperor had gone on an inspection tour to the east.

“Do eunuchs go on expeditions too?”

“That’s because I’m… the emperor’s… attendant.”

“I see.”

Only then did Roxanne understand why Aslan had been away from the greenhouse, and she nodded.

Aslan watched her, then took her hand and led her toward a bench.

He took a red fruit from his pocket and split it in half. Inside, jewel-like pieces of flesh hung closely together. Aslan picked out one of the red pieces and held it out to Roxanne.

“Try it.”

Roxanne hesitated for a moment before picking up a piece from his palm and biting into it.

The sweet and sour juice burst inside her mouth, and Roxanne’s eyes widened.

“How is it?”

“It’s delicious.”

“I knew you would like it. This is a fruit called a pomegranate. It grows in the deserts of the east.”

While Aslan explained the fruit, Roxanne could not escape the temptation of its sweet and sour taste.

In the end, she ate half of it before finally stopping. Realizing that she might have eaten too greedily, Roxanne gave an embarrassed smile.

Aslan quietly watched her. Then he licked Roxanne’s fingers, which were stained red, and looked directly into her eyes.

“Your fingers taste sweet.”

Startled by his sudden action, Roxanne barely managed to pull her hand away and stood up.

“I’m a woman of the harem, so I belong to the emperor. If someone happens to see us, you might get into trouble.”

“Are you worried about me?”

“Yes, and I’m worried about myself too. I don’t want to die yet. Now that I know you’re safe, I’m going back today.”

“I’ll walk you back.”

“No. I’ll go alone.”

Even though Roxanne was trying to keep her distance from him more than before, Aslan did not look disappointed.

Instead, he held out a pouch containing three pomegranates.

“I brought these for you.”

Roxanne hesitated for only a moment before gladly accepting the pomegranates Aslan had brought her.

He had brought them back from his expedition with the emperor because he had thought of her. She did not want to coldly reject his gift and hurt his feelings.

“Thank you. I’ll enjoy them.”

On her way back, carrying the pomegranates Aslan had given her, Roxanne felt warm inside.

Wanting to let Anna taste the pomegranate as soon as possible, she hurried her steps.

Then she ran straight into Aisha in the hallway.

Aisha had disliked Roxanne from the beginning. She glared at her with sharp eyes before noticing the pouch in Roxanne’s hand. She pointed at it with her chin.

“What is that?”

“This is…”

Before Roxanne could answer, the attendant following Aisha snatched the pouch from her and handed it to Aisha.

Aisha looked inside and found the pomegranates. She stared suspiciously at Roxanne.

“Pomegranates? Where did you steal these?”

“I didn’t steal them. Someone gave them to me.”

“Really? Then who gave them to you?”

“That…”

Roxanne almost said Aslan’s name, but she stopped and closed her mouth.

She was worried that Aslan might get into trouble.

“Why can’t you answer? Pomegranates aren’t common fruit. There can’t be many people who could give something like this to you. The fact that you refuse to say anything makes me think you have something to hide. For example…”

Aisha deliberately guessed.

“Perhaps you’ve fallen in love with the man who gave you this fruit.”

Roxanne pretended to remain calm at Aisha’s words, but inside, she was deeply troubled.

Seeing Roxanne remain silent even after being questioned, Aisha smiled proudly.