1KWI Ch 4

It felt like he lightly grabbed my wrist, but suddenly, my entire arm was lifted. I looked up at him, wide-eyed, as he held my wrist.

His eyes, red like the sun, stared intently at me, somehow murkier than before.

Even his perfectly sculpted face looked tense, lacking even a trace of a smile.

Though I hadn’t fully processed the situation yet, it was already unsettling enough, but the real issue was something else entirely.

“What, what, what are you doing?!”

He—a mere servant who kept speaking to me so casually—was frustratingly handsome, almost enough to be mistaken for a noble, and yet here he was pressing his face against the inside of my wrist, sniffing it.

Ahhh, someone help me! Is this guy a pervert?!

I gasped as I watched him wrinkle the bridge of his handsome nose.

Silently focused on my wrist, he gave off the aura of a sleek, graceful hunting dog, and he looked so striking that I was momentarily mesmerized before snapping back to reality.

“A-aren’t you going to let go?!”

This pervert! A mere servant! How dare he!

I yelled, in a voice mixed with disbelief and anger, and clenched my other hand into a fist. If he didn’t let go and kept holding me, I was going to punch his chest! Not that I’ve ever learned any self-defense.

Feeling tense, I swallowed nervously. But he rolled his red eyes as if puzzled, and stared intently into my narrowed purple ones.

Then he asked.

“What’s wrong?”

“Let go, let go!”

I shouted, pointing at my wrist. Although I was caught off guard, I didn’t miss the chance to say it.

He tilted his head, saw my crumpled face, and let go without resistance.

Tap-

What’s with him?!

I took a step back, hiding both my hands behind me.

He didn’t grab me tightly, so it didn’t hurt, but the way he grabbed me so suddenly, even knowing I’m a concubine, made him seem a bit off.

And it wasn’t just grabbing, why was he sniffing me?! It’s said that avoiding crazy people is the best option, so I quickly glanced behind me.

He was extremely tall, and although his figure was slim, his shoulders were very broad. In addition, his body although hidden by his clothes, looked muscular and as hard as stone. If he were to attack me, there’s no way I could win, given how weak I am.

In situations like this, running away is the best option.

“You smell really good.”

“Ah… th-thank you.”

My face turned pale, but I pretended like it was nothing because I was afraid showing fear might make him come closer.

I hesitated and tried to step away quickly, but then he suddenly asked, “How did you do it?”

“What?”

“The fragrance.”

Fragrance? The nice smell? Is he talking about perfume?

Eek, is he really a pervert? Why would he be interested in women’s perfume?

I swallowed nervously, afraid that if I ran away, he might grab me again like earlier. Let’s stay calm; I didn’t know what kind of trouble he might cause if I provoked him. Despite his unstable state, his gaze was quite serious.

His silver hair shimmered like stars, and his ruby-red eyes pierced through me.

When I ended up facing him, for some reason, I couldn’t look away from his eyes.

It felt like… being firmly caught by a predator.

“I-I don’t know! The maids did my makeup! If you’re curious, ask them directly!”

I didn’t even know what I was saying, I was just rambling. It sounded like nonsense.

I felt embarrassed by how foolish my voice sounded, so I hurriedly stepped back, trying to put on a forced innocent smile.

Fortunately, he didn’t seem to notice anything strange. He just blinked and stayed in place while I continued to put some distance between us.

Okay, I can just run away like this!

It didn’t take long for me to act on my decision. Hehe, I didn’t realize I could be this quick. In the blink of an eye, I passed the terrace entrance where he was standing and headed toward the ballroom through the hallway.

“Ahhh!”

I was rushing out like a squirrel, gripping the hem of my voluminous skirt tightly, when I tripped over a fallen instrument on the floor.

He had given it to me from the wall earlier, but I had forgotten that it had fallen when he grabbed my wrist!

With a loud thud, I tilted forward clumsily. It was such a loud sound that I knew for sure it would hurt if I hit the ground.

Panicked, I closed my eyes tightly as the smooth white marble floor quickly approached.

But after a few seconds, I didn’t feel myself hitting the ground.

Huh? Why doesn’t it hurt? I didn’t fall to the hard floor at all.

Instead, I felt like I was floating in the air. I carefully opened my eyes and looked around.

“Gasp.”

When I opened my eyes, I found myself staring into his blood-red eyes.

What’s going on? Why is he so close to me? For a moment, I was frozen in confusion, just staring at him in silence until I realized—

I’m… in his arms?

“P-put me down!”

My face burned with embarrassment. I struggled, nearly tumbling to the floor as I broke free from his arms.

Ugh, what if I was too heavy? Sure, I’d noticed he was strong, but it’s still so embarrassing.

And if anyone caught me in another man’s arms, I’d be sent straight to the underground prison! Even though I’m powerless and insignificant, I’m still a concubine! Three years of effort to live quietly and inconspicuously would go down the drain.

For a moment, I panicked at the thought that he might keep holding onto me, but to my surprise, he let me go without resistance.

Catching my breath in shock, I thought ‘Ugh, should I at least thank him?’

“You, you…! Don’t tell me you’ve been secretly watching me?”

“Yes.”
Without any hesitation, he shamelessly nodded.

I was horrified, clamping my hands over my mouth. Ahh, he really is a bit of a deranged stalker! The problem was I’d let my guard down because he’s so good-looking. Of course, no ordinary servant would be this casual with a concubine!

“Don’t touch me! If you do it again, I’ll report you!”

I’d rather report him first than end up in the underground prison over some baseless rumor about having an affair!

I stretched out my trembling hands to keep him away, but he paused, looking at me in confusion, with an innocent expression as if he hadn’t done anything wrong.

“Why?”

“What do you mean, why?! Do you just go around touching random women? Don’t you get in trouble for that? Aren’t you ever scolded?”

I was about to yell that he’s only a servant, but held back, thinking it would be tasteless to bring up social status.

Still, this is too much. Is such a blatant show of disrespect even possible? I narrowed my eyes sharply, forgetting the maids who’d complimented my grace during makeup had warned me not to narrow my eyes wide because my tear mole made me look standoffish.

“No one’s said anything.”

What? I was left speechless, my mouth wide open.

Is he brazenly lying? Or maybe is it that all the women just looked the other way because they were mesmerized by his looks?

“Why?”

“Because you don’t belong at my castle. Go back to the castle where your master is!”

“I want to go to your castle to see you.”

“Why are you so interested in me? Are you some kind of pervert? And I told you to stop speaking informally!”

As I found myself suddenly arguing with a servant over this ridiculous topic, I heard the faint sound of a trumpet coming from down the hall.

Oh no, I’m late!

“Where are you going?”

“Don’t follow me! If you do, I’ll be really mad!”

Forget elegance or anything else—that’s not important right now.

The sound was definitely the fanfare announcing the emperor’s arrival.

I gathered up my dress skirt like a bundle of cargo, clutched my shoes to my chest, and dashed out of the terrace, sprinting down the hallway.

Fortunately, I’d heard that the emperor’s procession takes a long time and he walks slowly as the fanfare plays to signal people to move aside, so if I just make it in time, I’ll be safe.

Though I doubt anyone would be specifically looking for me, if a concubine who’s supposed to attend doesn’t show up on time, it might spark unnecessary rumors about her disappearance.

Worse, if I’m unlucky, they might think I tried to escape the palace! That’s the last kind of attention I want!

Praying I’d make it in time, I ran with all my might, like an athlete in an Olympic final.

Huff, huff!