1KWI Ch 6
by mikkhaa“I have come at His Majesty’s call. As His thirty-first concubine, I will serve sincerely, so that the name of Periland will not be shamed.”
Oh, she’s amazing!
Though Yurisina was brought here as a prisoner, she showed no sign of intimidation. Her kingdom may have been defeated and absorbed into the empire, but she carried herself with pride, unashamed of her name. I couldn’t help but admire her.
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Maybe I should get her autograph before she becomes Empress!
Surely the Emperor must have been captivated by that graceful and confident look at first sight!
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‘They say the party is both a victory celebration and a welcoming for the princess joining as a concubine. Do you think His Majesty has a special interest in her?”
“Oh my, could that be true?”
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I joined the whispering noble ladies in front of me, my heart racing with curiosity and admiration for Yurisina, expecting something big.
Alright, this is the moment the Emperor…!
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Every single gaze in the hall, nearly 500 in total, was locked on the Emperor. In the thick tension, Yurisina elegantly stepped forward, performing the unique etiquette of concubines by gently kissing the Emperor’s right shoulder.
This symbolic act showed trust and unwavering loyalty to the Emperor as her husband and ruler. The Empress, however, kisses the forehead—an even closer gesture. Soon, Yurisina will be kissing that forehead instead of his shoulder.
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With grace, Yurisina retreated and took her place.
The crowd, filled with admiration and curiosity, watched in anticipation. The Emperor, unmoving under the weight of their gazes, calmly raised one hand. Yurisina, looking puzzled but tense, glanced toward the platform below.
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Noticing the Emperor’s gesture, Chief Attendant Geppetto quickly ascended the stairs, bowed deeply, and leaned closer to listen.
After receiving a command from behind the veil, Geppetto bowed his head and approached Yurisina, delivering a message.
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Oh, is she being asked to come closer? What on earth did he say to her? Oh, I’m dying to know!
‘Thank you for Your Majesty’s great grace.”
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‘…Huh?’
Surprisingly, Yurisina, after hearing Geppetto’s whisper, kept a calm smile and bowed respectfully.
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Then, holding her dress, she gracefully descended the high platform. Just like that—no dramatic event!
Wait, isn’t this supposed to be when the Emperor shows his affection? Falling for her at first sight and elevating her from the thirty-first concubine straight to an empress candidate! Or… could it be tomorrow? Did I mix up the timing?
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While I was lost in confusion, everyone else remained captivated by Yurisina’s elegance. Just as the orchestra began playing for the main dance, Geppetto abruptly stopped them.
A discordant eek pierced the hall, drawing puzzled looks from the pairs heading to the dance floor.
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Standing tall, Geppetto declared loudly,
“There is someone who has yet to pay their respects!”
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The crowd buzzed in confusion.
All the notable nobles had already greeted the Emperor, and Yurisina was the final one today. So, who’s left?
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I, like everyone else, scanned the hall curiously. Who could it be? Reveal yourself!
Geppetto, failing to spot the person in question, scanned the room several times before ordering the knights. After being given a description by the entrance attendants, several knights began running across the hall.
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Reality was unfolding differently from the novel, and I watched the scene in shock, like a bystander to a fire on the other side of a river.
Suddenly, I snapped out of my daze.
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“Please step forward.”
…Wait, what?
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Just as a few knights stopped in front of me, Geppetto’s booming voice echoed through the hall, as if he had swallowed a megaphone.
“The 30th concubine, Lady Lydia Odette! Come forward and greet His Majesty!”
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Everyone in the vast hall turned to look at me, their expressions resembling startled meerkats.
Their wide eyes and gaping mouths made it clear how shocking this was. Even the red-haired concubine, who had been about to sit, froze stiffly in place.
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But no one was more shocked than me.
W-what?! Me?!
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My hands shook, and I pointed at myself with a trembling finger, half-expecting I’d misheard.
Wasn’t I just here to fill a spot? I’m not of high enough rank to greet the emperor!
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Despite my silent pleading, the knights nodded sternly. It hit me then—like a bucket of cold water snapping me back to reality—I had just been singled out by the Emperor.
If I don’t act now, I might be executed for defying the emperor! Feeling the sharp, burning stares directed at me, I scrambled to my feet.
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Each step across the grand hall toward the towering platform felt like climbing the road to the afterlife, one agonizing inch at a time
The silence was suffocating, so quiet that a pin drop would echo. The countless eyes watching me followed my every step, and I could barely breathe under the pressure.
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Stay calm! They say you can survive even a tiger attack if you keep your wits!
I fought to keep my trembling legs steady. I nearly slipped once on the stairs but managed to reach the top without incident.
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Letting out a shaky sigh of relief, I inhaled deeply.
Slowly, I raised my head. The Emperor, seated with unyielding authority on the massive golden throne, remained still.
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Stay strong.
I’ve done nothing wrong. I won’t. Nothing will happen!
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Suppressing the urge to flee, I moved forward robotically, mentally chanting encouragement.
It’ll be fine. Maybe he’s just curious about some quiet concubine! Yurisina and that red-haired woman greeted him—so can I!
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Recalling their formal greetings, I positioned myself before the Emperor.
The silver-haired man, hidden behind a semi-transparent veil, fixed his gaze on me.
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Ugh, my heart feels like it might burst out of my chest!
“Odette, please show your respect to His Majesty the Emperor.”
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Chamberlain Geppeto, clearly doubtful of my composure, followed me up and subtly urged my stiff figure.
I know, I know! Stop rushing me—it’s making me more nervous! I was shaking inside, but I feigned calmness and inched forward.
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“Th-thirtieth concubine, Lydia Odette, greets His Majesty.”
I stammered a little, but I managed to finish my greeting.
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Clutching my dress, I bent my knees slightly and stood directly in front of the Emperor.
Stay calm, I kept telling myself, but the thought of standing this close to the war-crazed Emperor gnawed at my nerves.
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Cold sweat trickled down my back.
I’m going crazy! Just standing here feels like it’s shortening my lifespan!
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Even though the Emperor’s face was hidden behind a veil, his piercing gaze was unmistakable. His intense stare was so overwhelming that I couldn’t bear to look at him.
Squeezing my eyes shut, I placed my trembling hand on his left shoulder and turned my head to kiss his right shoulder. Let’s just end this quickly!
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But then—oh no! My hand slipped!
What I thought was his firm shoulder turned out to be his soft veil.
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Awkwardly, I kissed his right shoulder and hurried to withdraw, but my hand got tangled in the veil, pulling it down slightly.
“……!”
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A silent gasp escaped.
“Odette?”
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Geppetto, who was behind me, called my name in a low, puzzled voice, but in my head, all I could hear was, ‘I’m dead! I’m dead!’ echoing like a chorus.
The rumors about the Emperor’s personality were terrifying. Even I, living in the corner of the Imperial Palace, often heard whispers about him.
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The Emperor was young, but because he had spent his entire life on the battlefield, he was known to be cruel and eccentric. They said that even the smallest mistake from a servant would result in their immediate death.
Because of this, all of the Emperor’s attendants had been carefully chosen from childhood to serve him exclusively.
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And now, I had just uncovered the Emperor’s veil.
I had suffered for three years to avoid tormenting the female lead, but now I had walked straight into this mess. How could the heavens be so indifferent?
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I should have dropped to the ground and repeatedly shouted, ‘I’ve committed a grave sin!’ to at least extend my life a little, but I was so stunned that I froze, trembling uncontrollably.
Even as the veil slid down, it caught on his nose, and suddenly, I found myself locking eyes with the Emperor.
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His grass-green eyes were fixed on me.
I had expected his gaze to be filled with murderous intent, but instead, it was calm and clear, surprisingly gentle. There was no malice in it at all.
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He looked so ordinary that if you saw him outside, you might mistake him for one of the stewards who brings me my monthly supplies.
Could this really be the person behind those terrifying rumors?
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I wasn’t doing it on purpose, but I ended up standing there, blankly locking eyes with him.
His fresh, grass-green eyes stared at me quietly, and then he raised his hand to gently push me away.
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“Ah.”
Oh no, I must be crazy! What did I just do?
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Only then did I snap back to reality and quickly took a step back.
At the same time, an awful image of my severed head hanging from a guillotine flashed through my mind, and my body began to tremble uncontrollably.
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In the blink of an eye, the Emperor had put his veil back in place.
“I-I’ve committed a grave sin…!”
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Geppetto, who was behind me, had a confused expression, seemingly not noticing anything wrong.
I shakily tried to fall to the ground, urgently shouting, in a trembling voice.
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But just then, the Emperor raised the hand that had pushed me away and lightly stopped me.
My mind was screaming with red alerts, and I instinctively stopped, understanding that I had to obey the Emperor’s commands to survive.
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As a result, I stood there awkwardly, half-bent at the knees and waist, looking ridiculous.
Why is he doing this? Does he dislike seeing me kneel so much that he’s ordering a knife to be brought immediately?
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“Odette, it’s time for you to leave now.”
Geppetto, who seemed totally oblivious to the situation, approached me and whispered in a stern voice.
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No, this old man! Doesn’t he realize that I’m about to be executed? How can he tell me to leave…?!
But even though I was desperately signaling toward the Emperor with trembling lips, Geppetto pushed me forward with a confused look.
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It was as if he was gently scolding someone who didn’t know any better, saying, “If you keep acting like this, you’ll be rude.”
…Huh?
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