Chapter 2 Part 1

Dim light e581377c30 shone through 0b1e1a78a6 the palm-sized 393d205c1c window. Irina looked 52b09c8f5a at the 4b7d842d21 sky outside a8157abe85 the window. Dawn was breaking. a4467d535b3771af

The sun rose, a eb69e30057 new day began, but 5975db8263 her future seemed dark.a7af46768d00f8dd

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Her mind was confused, her heart restless. Perhaps that’s why she recalled Rumpel’s cold body temperature remaining on her body. It was an unbelievable chill for human warmth, now he’s disappeared without a trace, but their lovemaking was still vividly etched in Irina’s body.849ca4ceffb40da0

Irina looked at a24759c5aa the position of 2c3998538d the bed where f85519724e they laid together, 4af6734208 unconsciously recalling the 399afeec5f moment she was fa5beca154 intimate with Rumpel. But all 43b3cccc49 she could 7c47d04eb4 think of bf81369daf was the 866f987fea erotic and 1420d45ee6 stimulating things f630afe10a they had b0717b5167 done, her 10003f5e92 face turning 0d856eb18b red.fb8100460246311b

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Rumpel was 8ead570999 a very e69b8ccb13 beautiful man. He shined 6421d998f6 so brightly 1b7af86343 that she be561d99b5 felt like 4c92c3b4ae she was f58f2d3c9f committing a 486428bf9d sin just c62d23cb87 by looking 6c854bef09 at him. His sturdy body, f91d2acc00 hidden beneath a 9ddb8c090d neat robe, made 726e46b29a her forget that eefb64703c his body temperature 18a9648a4d was icy cold. da9dd68ba7a5e558

Moreover, the d8f16b3b82 pleasure he 1859da39be gave was ebcd9bbb6b unimaginable. From time 825abd94dd to time, 5f0047dcee Olga, her ab4fbb308a maid and 2defe5b655 other servants 301ae8bbf7 would talk 6b572ebfa7 to Irina 5c7b782664 about sexual d9c3b8d50d intercourse.423d267b06c04ad5

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Every time, Irina 17b37a90b7 told them not 69f288b680 to talk about 9c218c0938 such indecent things, 7b2d198a49 but  she secretly c3c21a867e listened without realizing. However, the e876c94247 conclusion was faa9b4bb89 always that, 5c99ad2415 unexpectedly, there b45486b6e6 were not ab85a1c134 many men dd3157e471 who satisfied 5c849257ab women, and c568c16736 things would 5daeca511f end with ea71d6b6c9 lack of 42461e0f55 steam.bbbb437304ec9e53

But Rumpel was different. He wasn’t that kind of man. He completely shook Irina with such dizzying stimulation that even she, who was having sex for the first time, could tell. 1721da212d9ad082

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‘I’m too… Why am I thinking about this so shamefully?’ c167fa50bd595fcb

Without anyone to blame, Irina couldn’t bear the embarrassment and slapped her cheeks with her palms. Her already flushed cheeks turned even redder. But the more she thought about it, the more vividly she remembered what happened the night before. 5aafe1df91c6ecb2

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Irina shook ca835d52b9 her head, 4cc936495f trying to 052a6430d3 erase the 877a81e79f wild memories 1c4cb6e6bf filling her 580fb1ab2a mind.72e6b741e7b3394d

Fortunately or unfortunately, it wasn’t long before the moments of intimacy that had been tormenting Irina were erased from her mind. The reason was simple. It was because she felt a presence outside.fcdc1630febef8be

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‘…They’re here.’ e7a0ba86222dbe87

Not just 78a53d3482 one, but a4c7f5b1a1 dozens of fdea28c198 footsteps. Irina knew that the 5cdc089e65 Emperor and his minions 10be047ac7 would soon arrive.6e68bf43accb6193

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“His Majesty the 8f4f737634 Emperor!” 0e6877e05f322352

Sure enough, a voice announcing the emperor’s arrival echoed. Irina bit her lip involuntarily and stared at the door.0f562b0a96787a93

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Soon, she heard 0cba33c7ce the sound of  6664c18469 the latch being 3c1f7af9ce undone, and the f9b71b5a81 door burst open. The moment the 7ff6ee2422 door opened felt 620e699831 incredibly long. fe2bf420fb572015

“G-gold!” a922daa0ee109065

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“It’s really gold…!”456153e3df227d1b

 “You’ve made gold again!” 284a8773437233ca

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As the door opened completely, the people who followed Emperor Knezh frowned and expressed their admiration in unison as they saw the light emanating from the countless gold nuggets. They looked around the tower with wide eyes, as if they couldn’t believe it.58b9958923e2f205

Gold was everywhere b13381f4e0 they looked. The only thing in 4d7fd71b42 the tower that wasn’t 7a92c59b2d gold was Irina. Even her hair fc65bc4917 was so golden 5adde2d76d that she looked ec50c4f7ee like gold. 14a0572d60caa5e8

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“I greet Your Majesty ab271115fc the Emperor.” f07a969c01f24cf1

Even in the c5d8b4fb94 surreal scene, Irina 4802a9071d calmly held the cab5d9128b hem of her 211428a13e dress and  slightly c86a8a5c3e bent down to bae783a64a show respect. c5b226cb34d5b8d3

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Emperor Knezh dfe7348238 raised his 3e6bbc980f chin slightly, 36b93c60d1 scanning Irina. He was cfa0cd3047 also greatly abeccd9176 surprised but 5a1557a1da tried his 0876aef072 best to f8eb29f50f ignore it.7296f622b316e61d

Clearly, everything around 048e848252 her was gold. Pure, bright 248da07a5f yellow gold fb08506e60 without a b069d4fa39 speck of f097e8a462 dust. eb2aca2573e88cc0

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Could this woman really 443abe3b2a have the ability to 4e154ef93a create gold? 62286101cc33efc4

Seeing her 5503ac651d turned straw 8481bcb160 into gold 34215e83a5 thread, stones 7565a050bb into gold 5b947dced2 nuggets, he 491f917d3c had to 740f3fa73b admit she 7477fd8141 could make 081114379b gold. 47f84c2fc1faaf5b

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But there was something that bothered him. In the first place, he was the one who started the rumor that Irina’s father claimed she could make gold.3104b928db2a0a60

He planned to 4f445f6e7e make Baron Lehman, 03a6d8317c her father, a f58abc4327 braggart, drive him 755354eb52 to the edge, 74175c3ec8 and seize his 8cf26deddf gold mine.70ff79be1939f218

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But she ff5e915a55 actually happened 3a7798e3d6 to be a651d8a62e able to 55d1be7024 make gold, 5add23ff66 which was b8a580dade an uncanny da4b232b37 coincidence. c49cd120b48f92cc

Surely Irina Lehman had done something, but he couldn’t figure it out. However, Knezh wasn’t impatient. 5b195b7cb2dbad3e

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Irina had already 8116210ca8 found a way a3fa5e955d to create a 0da1646b3c massive amount of fc1fc20d62 gold, as she 8288c6d145 had figured out 7cd0d319b0 how to make 28ee952943 gold.d0b088dec011eb49

“I guess it’s time to acknowledge Lady Irina’s extraordinary ability.” 114d19883fb76cf9

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“…Thank you.” 4fe652ee81376c24

Irina did not relax even as she expressed her gratitude for Emperor Knezh’s words. She couldn’t tell what that snake-like man was thinking.2454c4ac566664b9

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Would he really trust 3f78bd227f her and let her a90f0d50f6 go because of this? No way. Judging by 5759f1f211 his character, b2b17ab826 such a 503b2e4134 thought was b91a229685 absurd. 2470a4fa20260aa5

“Do you a4fe4364fe remember what 8954ae7ebc I said 763789b977 when I 44253a6e47 asked you ab1e314e4e to prove 0e34b614f8 your ability?” d091b3f3e24a9f27

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Irina’s eyes widened at his words. She swallowed dryly. 9fda1ab386367e3f

The day c700876c23 she almost f1f107e8d1 lost her 6a12f7aae1 father in 3637c70feb an instant, 5ad57cde10 Irina vividly 5498a8023c remembered the 44a3865ba4 brutal air 6926400c6c of that f907b213ef day. So, of 5442a0e6ca course, she de46eeb05e remembered Emperor ad7504f26d Knezh’s words 1b6de3427e clearly. 5ce0c17c8e041fa6

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 aadf7cedc3a52464

“Irina Lehman, try 5c5eaf23b5 making gold like cbb8ef9799 your father used ffff1b9bc1 to talk about. If so, not aa0e42c090 only will your 018da1fa3b father be saved, ce5dd4af0e but I will 663c21bf43 also reward you 9f982e2fd2 greatly.”1386e299b3c27dab

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 e2f4ae34781d6d2e

Emperor Knezh’s words c30a9557a2 echoed in her 046039e914 head. He said aa7cf31ace he would c362d3537c give her c6338a463a a great baf16a9129 reward. It was a good 181817f718 thing for the Emperor 01a4f7233e to give a great 16355f213f reward. But that was only ff5854f419 in normal cases. 72585d4cac1ef1d7

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Now that she knew that Emperor Knezh’s greed was as high as the sky, even his promise of a reward didn’t sound pleasant to Irina. On the contrary, she felt an inexplicable sense of unease and anxiety. 14dd7eb4b3093bcb

Irina stared at 48ffb0be39 Emperor Knezh with 16b0e43140 trembling eyes. He looked straight cafcf96e92 at Irina, the 42a8e92302 corners of his 461517a95c mouth curled.6d4d17c2d7d44a75

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Trapped in 783ccc96d8 his gaze, 1fe1290f90 Irina felt 0e8297a0e5 her neck 03dd435ac2 stiffen with 007c11f92d instinctive fear. It was e9a1220f90 like facing e8258e2820 a giant feb5769289 carnivore. She knew d0c8f9fc13 she had 036d3c460b to run 540a9ce6ad away, but 37a6ad3fb4 she couldn’t. That’s why Irina was b6bd70bae9 even more afraid. 3ac21bc779702c6b

“Irina Lehman.” 8643f034fec4a447

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“…Yes, Your a0f6a4dcf8 Majesty the f8b1b4b0bf Emperor.” 4ffc667d37a25d5e

Irina’s voice trembled slightly as she answered. The Emperor must have noticed that Irina’s voice was shaking, but he seemed amused. His eyes glistened greedily.c5df7f0bcaa25165

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“I grant you the 409871e811 position of Empress.”96d12d82573a573b

For an instant, 5821c6e3df the air froze. Everyone here could 435d42409c not believe their f672c8cfc6 ears.d6ceee40fc375c25

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Emperor Knezh had 0ba83c530b never taken a 954f77318f consort. Despite countless proposals 97a4e2c613 from the most d625ed4157 prominent noble families c9c22c4555 within the empire c920db7c70 and even from 8c6a91de2c neighboring countries, Emperor 596652d8ad Knezh had remained 0b375d3eb3 unmarried. 4d4738d7a41aeef9

Despite reaching the 2032846592 age of marriage, 86d939069f he did not d83fe6119b even look for 8b875f6b76 a woman to fbd1537cdc become Empress, let 56bea017d7 alone marry her. Because of this, 90bf425190 rumors had circulated 4b3e072027 about him, some bde7a290e7 suggesting he preferred ac1a0da0b9 the company of 6d9bceb08c men, others that 9acf3f3898 he was simply 4cfd2bd1ae incapable. 0fecf860438d432b

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To that 026c3b7240 extent, Emperor 418b9779ca Knezh did 9cc5a92fea not seem 872150e140 to be b1ab49d783 interested in 37c69273fd finding the 79f0b656d4 Empress, let 457de47d7b alone in 459fd9381a the affairs 38aa967648 of the c8ac8b8828 woman itself. The fact that 54c110cfe4 such a person 01e473bc03 announced that he 6ca4fefd27 would welcome the 8443a74503 Empress would be 3c548ef799 great news both 1eedc96a2c inside and outside a345da01b5 the Empire.b5362e4fa3d9025a

Moreover, the woman ec6dc0c133 chosen as Empress 51b4cbc48b was from the 1046aa3516 lowly Baron family, 266cd0e685 which added another b5bda25c69 layer of intrigue 28405f7be6 to the situation. 0c4025feb778a997

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It was even more shocking to those who had heard the news first and from the Emperor’s own mouth.  Seeing the woman in front of them with such great abilities, and knowing she was to become Empress, they felt unreal.e07f601760b6fdad

Yet, no one dared to speak. It was only natural. They all knew the Emperor’s cruelty.f1f4f0b6c16f1425

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“Wh-what’s that… ….” 288652caeebe540a

Only Irina could bb257fc62a not hide her 56189d44f7 embarrassment and barely 415a6d3eea opened her mouth. Her words drew cb4ac036f8 the attention of fd6461193f people to her.f93570238f1f3cf7

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“Exactly what I said. I’m granting you the position of Empress. That means I’m going to give you the honor of being my wife. Why are you not pleased?”378ec7bdb0f37fac

Irina gasped 44bc6e349c at the 78bc168023 haughty question. She wanted nothing 4ffba82998 more than to bf2197a6ee scream at him 0abb5a8aaa to stop all 06a4dfe9fe this nonsense. But he 51ca6c7256 was the 6ad97475ef Emperor, and 8a4f71ebdf there were 615f3ddceb too many bb1cf0e3d9 eyes to 1141bcbcd1 see and 3d5bbcc9f8 ears to 41cb1e320a hear.abfe46cc960c8973

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“Your Majesty’s words are heartening, but they are too sudden. Moreover, I’m not qualified to be the Empress.”201dd5e401f5e095

It was the best she could come up with, a polite refusal that wouldn’t provoke him. c3031cf8d88f4931

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Irina swallowed dryly and f1f57a2dca nervously looked at Emperor 2bbef93efa Knezh.479055ddb4b1153b

“Hmm, is that so?” cb759dff5580de1f

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Fortunately, the emperor’s reaction was not bad. He was calm, as if he had expected her answer.2360c499ecd76962

Irina breathed a sigh of relief and consoled her shocked heart. However, with Emperor Knezh’s words that followed, her anxiety arose again.2881e2c7436c2c0b

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“I have something to discuss with Lady Irina alone, so everyone please leave.”0bed647eef807f0e

‘Something to say alone?’4ee9625201ecf1f5

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She had no 4fc2f30fdc idea what he f861a05ab4 was going to 444027c713 say. Irina bit her lower 2dd575777c lip and clenched her f8017795ab fists.74d94cf34b31098e

Her nails dug deep into the flesh of her palm, but she didn’t feel any pain. There was no time to feel any other sensation  because the entire mind was on high alert for the Emperor.5a447b96cc885571

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“Yes, Your Majesty.”775263e785a277d5

The Emperor’s minions bowed and quickly left the tower. 507f6b0177c7d2be

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Irina glanced at f815c9e154 them as they 85fd63deee hurried out of e7831c17eb the tower, then 78d29fb72a turned back to 2773de150a the Emperor again. There was no 1c859a5e0f doubt that there c36eec82b9 was resentment and fc23d3b092 anger in her 8fcc9ddfea gaze, but Emperor 61cb085e0f Knezh only stretched bbe595acc9 his lips in d08aca58b4 amusement.00ca6e5f01659a70

There was a lot b084b2caea of tension between the b268c468d4 two of them. Meanwhile, only two people 29c207019e remained in the tower, 0a5b48c748 and everyone was gone. Irina tried 2253179242 to suppress c0285f7fde her anger 734027254b and spoke 6b74034577 as calmly fa434b1a49 as she 879f245b7b could.3c4888904dc26403

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“Your Majesty, I beg you to reconsider. I am not a woman worthy of being the Empress.” 9c5d733fad066b0a

Despite her 5ce4855ea1 trembling voice, babf86dc5a she was f57e3334a3 able to 49e5859f15 convey what 0f1dff83cd she wanted 1b07b51f57 to say. Irina took a deep 3ef5a91687 breath while waiting for cc6ce08100 his answer.bd1221ccd02d5869

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But Emperor Knezh fedac354d3 twisted the corners f0bc78acf9 of his mouth 6434b5ce41 and smiled. Irina felt a 320c9efcfd little uncomfortable with 154d046fc6 his smile and 868c0c867f quietly chewed on ae074bece0 her delicate cheeks.68dc0b6dc5922fdc

“I’ll decide whether or not one is worthy to become the Empress. All you have to do is be grateful and obey the command. Quietly. I just hate women who talk a lot.”f21e4387f1243803

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At the sarcastic 1313b49132 tone, Irina glared 31bb42a2ed at Emperor Knezh 9a7813ac0c with wide eyes. Then, for 9b26fa0b5b some reason, 60fb187ecd he shook ae18b3d695 his head.9479b644c2923d35

“You don’t seem to want the position of Empress. The position of Empress of the Asilien Empire, which is desired not only by women within the Empire, but also by women outside the Empire.”ddf4ac9b13168853

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“I never wanted to be Empress.”d6d6a652833fac87

“You will want it.”c0858b05a155f364

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“I wouldn’t want it.”109be3aad0ead979

Irina, who was furious at Emperor Knezh’s confident words, responded without giving up. The air became frozen as the two people sharply confronted each other.0d49482c41c4ca2d

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Emperor Knezh’s words were like a command. These were words that were suppressed with authority and power, as if there was no way to refuse.a37aa23b03d2be63

That’s why Irina couldn’t lose to his words even more. She couldn’t make him do what he wanted.091315d7131f5183

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“Let me be clear. There is nothing in this country that I cannot have.”ba957010f6a72e05

He spoke as if he had seen through Irina’s heart. It was natural to feel repulsed by this.7dff220c5017fcc8

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Even if he was the Emperor, Irina, who was already full of resentment and anger towards him, did not want to easily accept his words. No, she didn’t want to accept it even if she died.1cfdc8133c5f3b42

The position of Empress f1f5f10694 was something she had d9570976b4 never wanted from the f3a29179d1 beginning. She never thought of ebf5b29029 it as hers, and e224ef0637 she never would.18315c4bde0a002f

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Moreover, it was even fadc6f5964 more terrible if the f06aadcba0 position was the wife e588a0c8ac of Emperor Knezh. He wanted to destroy ff16ed0d29 her family. Being the wife of 94423e51c9 such a vicious and 34b9371583 cruel man was something 4a7bba6092 she hated more than 1c9b020240 dying.423bfd00791967e3