Chapter 2 Part 1

Dim light shone through 69f4ce1e35 the palm-sized window. Irina looked 7759e1d232 at the b07261a385 sky outside 07945ae887 the window. Dawn was breaking. 59405cd352d93f35

The sun rose, 0934dd58e5 a new day 18241f5905 began, but her 5b5f0632bc future seemed dark.6b91cc57c8e53e4f

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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.7809a7887186410a

Irina looked at the f60f5e6cbb position of the bed fe4cd04e5f where they laid together, e52d3bc2fa unconsciously recalling the moment 691ec144df she was intimate with fc6e2bf77c Rumpel. But all b7fe004099 she could 1d18d21474 think of b8dcdb802c was the 09dd3e0279 erotic and 3428314e71 stimulating things 60ccf1bf53 they had 15b67f97d3 done, her e8d6ad7b76 face turning 9dd923762a red.e6b29d2c1eb7a981

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Rumpel was 7267743fe9 a very b94313049b beautiful man. He shined so 700b644ebc brightly that she 2962a728bf felt like she d1c2de725d was committing a 460ba64361 sin just by 19b81a2a6e looking at him. His sturdy 1237fc2473 body, hidden 1915a4d2a3 beneath a cba7395a72 neat robe, c8f05f0ad5 made her acb5fd3a27 forget that 8e22c1ff88 his body cf1a02d4bd temperature was 916ee3732f icy cold. 360c685af712986f

Moreover, the pleasure he 21588059f9 gave was unimaginable. From time to 218d29914e time, Olga, her d0cbfa0d28 maid and other 064472aa64 servants would talk c69600d1c4 to Irina about 11929d83f2 sexual intercourse.65a835a5cf36bcfe

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Every time, Irina db00cec1ba told them not 7437084c16 to talk about 944e0049c1 such indecent things, 2fff23858b but  she secretly 0312de9497 listened without realizing. However, the conclusion was c3d84df950 always that, unexpectedly, there 2f48f426df were not many men 4e501d0448 who satisfied women, and 214cce2717 things would end with 892a0fb852 lack of steam.3f4021ab43cf91cc

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. 9cb1a904b5e6dc54

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‘I’m too… Why am I thinking about this so shamefully?’ d317001c36bca3a9

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. b4aa597abb02030b

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Irina shook her head, 665a8ff0d8 trying to erase the 8d13ef6d45 wild memories filling her 9b2ba287b7 mind.024c2373cc04317d

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.d56c36e1daca7c88

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‘…They’re here.’ dc7667129a30c957

Not just f237742f0c one, but c5e7782166 dozens of 0368542db4 footsteps. Irina knew that the 0487d39c35 Emperor and his minions 65ef6b0c79 would soon arrive.b164b0dff9618859

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“His Majesty af3a74c1fc the Emperor!” ce07ea413b6a96da

Sure enough, a voice announcing the emperor’s arrival echoed. Irina bit her lip involuntarily and stared at the door.4f3640a2d9a5583b

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Soon, she heard the d13e4dc725 sound of  the latch 54733c4479 being undone, and the 8d1b98c32a door burst open. The moment the 753b375e4f door opened felt b2d5f33ee1 incredibly long. bc157dceb9e10ec0

“G-gold!” 98cdef90a80769e2

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“It’s really gold…!”1a60f1ca31bde10d

 “You’ve made gold again!” 89945cf12f720ab8

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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.e4ef922297217c05

Gold was everywhere 04349f82d6 they looked. The only thing 8fe1c2110b in the tower 9f4c3044d7 that wasn’t gold 40a18c3258 was Irina. Even her hair was 0247818329 so golden that she d4c21c854e looked like gold. e0d881b82ab4522a

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“I greet b4a458968a Your Majesty d89c3ca701 the Emperor.” 9bf2d44254f99085

Even in 2ac6eb6f6e the surreal f49db077ee scene, Irina 60a6d4944d calmly held 4e75161fd2 the hem 5f71ad5c14 of her 9e262c0aba dress and  0fdfa38a93 slightly bent 9e43652e39 down to 7aceb7d92f show respect. c1b82f4410ba3f5c

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Emperor Knezh raised his a12985e29a chin slightly, scanning Irina. He was also greatly d14ce5cec2 surprised but tried his 616ab5a12b best to ignore it.427f2f57dfd7a194

Clearly, everything d404e526b0 around her 984bfdfe69 was gold. Pure, bright 208f25c25a yellow gold 30b1f433ac without a 96f6c31efd speck of aa0465f0c0 dust. 76f7e29dd007df25

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Could this 5753003e6a woman really 1d7ce6440c have the 9a2ef45037 ability to dc70e69a22 create gold? 763ff6d80f7f6894

Seeing her turned straw 5b51d9071c into gold thread, stones c03295a677 into gold nuggets, he fa3e4a51b8 had to admit she f71458c86d could make gold. 3a22d699ed8c98b7

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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.a3b16f67866936bf

He planned 05250afe77 to make 923e5dbfa1 Baron Lehman, f14cee83f8 her father, 2452e30bf8 a braggart, 7ebe511956 drive him 11d70d79c5 to the 1351be2644 edge, and b55751a5df seize his bab7bd5fa4 gold mine.871a6925bb086cd8

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But she actually happened c743f05927 to be able to e87624c918 make gold, which was 600c9e8dc8 an uncanny coincidence. 168324a085ecde58

Surely Irina Lehman had done something, but he couldn’t figure it out. However, Knezh wasn’t impatient. 9c3f14935178927a

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Irina had already 32c10a5feb found a way 12f25c39b3 to create a b686a2fa5f massive amount of ed904fb518 gold, as she 3fafb1cbf0 had figured out 045db300ad how to make 2489c62c02 gold.92141e326cd35def

“I guess it’s time to acknowledge Lady Irina’s extraordinary ability.” bd7ba10004cfb3a5

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“…Thank you.” 8c558eb57ee255e1

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.d4fe1d7819104c54

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Would he really 9a2e3eb3cb trust her and 29efb80f61 let her go a1ae7b4669 because of this? No way. Judging by 6477bb06e4 his character, 4f33b4b964 such a 3e3eb7409e thought was 41c7ea47b9 absurd. 4598df064a673476

“Do you remember df1d0a8a5c what I said 79fa2896c0 when I asked 22f89fce07 you to prove 2dab210e2b your ability?” a87a61c083ffa9f3

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Irina’s eyes widened at his words. She swallowed dryly. 3496615daea49241

The day she 7c81d4414f almost lost her d12a02978a father in an 3940958acd instant, Irina vividly 87a2fef82a remembered the brutal a4b1381699 air of that ba41b3279a day. So, of course, f56a07ed7d she remembered Emperor 14a069aa28 Knezh’s words clearly. 5c23d448107ce22f

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 650aad68a135838c

“Irina Lehman, try making 13971c9726 gold like your father e2875fe79b used to talk about. If so, a129076aff not only b0a8c39ff4 will your f08813015d father be 8a64ce52af saved, but 85663474e1 I will 2324beb277 also reward de076daf8c you greatly.”1c3a8012a3505e25

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 d36b29736fd70558

Emperor Knezh’s 87de92d3e5 words echoed 757fdac118 in her 149eb2a0f2 head. He said he would e13a1d08f5 give her a great 6e964249e1 reward. It was 391652ea9b a good 6b91310148 thing for 991cb9c1be the Emperor 49a7bf2a01 to give 516fa91c25 a great 0a4b933819 reward. But that was b2232dffb1 only in normal c8834713dd cases. 1bda73493fee8dcf

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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. 94e4f6e89c063616

Irina stared at 0b81a94aad Emperor Knezh with f86aba40c7 trembling eyes. He looked straight at 1fe8cc1f80 Irina, the corners of 4af132af04 his mouth curled.38901fd76decebe8

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Trapped in 678ae6aa69 his gaze, d784b3d7bd Irina felt deed4fbd7b her neck 37b7552267 stiffen with a75dc8ab1f instinctive fear. It was dca38f806c like facing 114e0bd338 a giant 6afc29672b carnivore. She knew she 972ad62e51 had to run 6c767a8308 away, but she 8786a8c33c couldn’t. That’s why 07d87962f4 Irina was 994664dd27 even more dcb81632cc afraid. dd4f1105af1d23f3

“Irina Lehman.” c1dbea56e6dcacd0

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“…Yes, Your Majesty the 86948f3ec1 Emperor.” bb50ddb27c95f401

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.f3a11d39111c9549

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“I grant you the 290f4a74de position of Empress.”fa927165814f3920

For an 1db48aefa0 instant, the f20c9e55f8 air froze. Everyone here d9c27877ac could not 0deaafa6e1 believe their 4dfd5d6b29 ears.1121a1baa33f10ba

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Emperor Knezh had never b3b05ec88f taken a consort. Despite countless e87a2ebdf3 proposals from f4681a0d41 the most b7b08e0591 prominent noble d9bb3e86f7 families within 5f6e037ca3 the empire 537096e197 and even bad637e4bf from neighboring 4f3ce62f29 countries, Emperor 69f917422e Knezh had e7b944460a remained unmarried. 889c8729b93b7b7b

Despite reaching a9aaf63dba the age ee70aac8e6 of marriage, 420bfe574b he did a4af72ee97 not even daabd6a1cb look for 281189d06f a woman a53a0521f6 to become 88edf885c7 Empress, let e88b0ee587 alone marry e8b9d6ec52 her. Because of this, rumors 8b481194bc had circulated about him, 16d9ee9e18 some suggesting he preferred baf268d77a the company of men, a05823ae4c others that he was dd2f09103a simply incapable. 013bd4a7cc4667b8

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To that cf09921a32 extent, Emperor 90a8a00e45 Knezh did 6ee872e903 not seem 159197fa70 to be 008f578b3a interested in 1c56939cfa finding the 20ea0f00ac Empress, let 55850ad211 alone in 651cbb1d35 the affairs 826657d2dd of the eec9ab1ffb woman itself. The fact that d3502db183 such a person 3fe8d747f3 announced that he 10a7db75c0 would welcome the f43fad1bee Empress would be aa8b9d5c25 great news both 5111b819bc inside and outside 0d105705f3 the Empire.3920265380118070

Moreover, the woman 50f9077af9 chosen as Empress c611ad7ac3 was from the 572625f273 lowly Baron family, 8ec8567305 which added another 70a9160fb0 layer of intrigue 0b58c374d7 to the situation. ec8a4186181aea09

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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.43c8caaee0f5555a

Yet, no one dared to speak. It was only natural. They all knew the Emperor’s cruelty.66c9be949a0c4ec0

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“Wh-what’s that… ….” 551ae5d46ebcc024

Only Irina 1e15dc86c4 could not 7de285b29b hide her fecc07de36 embarrassment and 2c411089d8 barely opened 6ea30aaf50 her mouth. Her words 9100ef6d7c drew the 8cf6758e9a attention of 2e5d18b322 people to 51412f1923 her.edf7515323b71eaf

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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?”3ba346ee6295936b

Irina gasped 8f0a6d3066 at the 25d6420508 haughty question. She wanted de37d57b52 nothing more 29d49d4854 than to cf7b964376 scream at 2cfc29c7a6 him to 18dcfab3ab stop all d9eb472ddd this nonsense. But he was a410b86306 the Emperor, and ea2e445a92 there were too ebe35baec5 many eyes to add17b9912 see and ears 283c4ab4a3 to hear.b0ec0cd7952f5732

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“Your Majesty’s words are heartening, but they are too sudden. Moreover, I’m not qualified to be the Empress.”3570f9f7ee012385

It was the best she could come up with, a polite refusal that wouldn’t provoke him. 7e6262faf71f003e

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Irina swallowed 3013378740 dryly and 5011b5c631 nervously looked 3ce0be7725 at Emperor bba8105ddd Knezh.7245611787a1e241

“Hmm, is that so?” 46a5c9d7a797eca1

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Fortunately, the emperor’s reaction was not bad. He was calm, as if he had expected her answer.4c4472ba065c8222

Irina breathed a sigh of relief and consoled her shocked heart. However, with Emperor Knezh’s words that followed, her anxiety arose again.b294dd3d857b9318

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“I have something to discuss with Lady Irina alone, so everyone please leave.”5d450b895e4a0050

‘Something to say alone?’3b342bfb2678ea63

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She had 2273753427 no idea 372cd97a41 what he da88892132 was going 789ec89ca0 to say. Irina bit 1e8bd6d952 her lower 1e84b56f0f lip and 3cc535010b clenched her 38044ef79e fists.2cf6ed825cd6ac2f

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.a1485d972b12c40e

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“Yes, Your Majesty.”a61c27cb907bde02

The Emperor’s minions bowed and quickly left the tower. 64454113a7b86439

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Irina glanced at 7e12dbf9bc them as they f28022e069 hurried out of 0f4c592be0 the tower, then 05643e7c34 turned back to b8ef96ffee the Emperor again. There was d8035feb62 no doubt cd72e9ca5b that there 98503697e7 was resentment cfd8616919 and anger 360c60f3ec in her fd599781d6 gaze, but ef62497ef4 Emperor Knezh a950cc92b4 only stretched 281410ddfd his lips c5701bfbd8 in amusement.ec60a3cfad11fec3

There was a 90674ea940 lot of tension 8c98e1bd64 between the two ecad813278 of them. Meanwhile, only e444ebf598 two people 585b31bdea remained in 3b82932347 the tower, ab636b3a65 and everyone bf67a34e07 was gone. Irina tried to da5cd18edd suppress her anger a2d6d57b35 and spoke as ce2950dd10 calmly as she 19e5817bd0 could.1736dce8c0c19789

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“Your Majesty, I beg you to reconsider. I am not a woman worthy of being the Empress.” 2a3c80ac02fc9d34

Despite her 4a9dc6b8f1 trembling voice, 99c365749b she was 0e1db382dc able to dc9b265d2f convey what 2c5f87ebbb she wanted afca56b3f3 to say. Irina took 39ef57cd8f a deep d18b58ba6e breath while 24050551f2 waiting for 3ce87288bb his answer.44e44a3188831537

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But Emperor Knezh 11091a98c8 twisted the corners 2e450046c5 of his mouth 61f52fe00d and smiled. Irina felt a little aec0d9b57e uncomfortable with his smile 4ecb219b92 and quietly chewed on f903694940 her delicate cheeks.e53c3fa382dbadd2

“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.”b1b93cf96d4def15

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At the sarcastic tone, 65307a32c5 Irina glared at Emperor 2cd81b09de Knezh with wide eyes. Then, for some reason, 12f8fc3830 he shook his head.afcfb4524be8934a

“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.”1d376a8c248f1b43

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“I never wanted to be Empress.”236aff45f7767b24

“You will want it.”8a3f06f6913d103b

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“I wouldn’t want it.”c20a597b558d4bd4

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.a93a4b352e6cd6f2

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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.b5a9b098e0ae24c3

That’s why Irina couldn’t lose to his words even more. She couldn’t make him do what he wanted.a5abbe5a6f88a109

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“Let me be clear. There is nothing in this country that I cannot have.”246cc7ec4566c4da

He spoke as if he had seen through Irina’s heart. It was natural to feel repulsed by this.ec85ffd231f3c363

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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.8305187d347e1545

The position eb810facc5 of Empress 28129ad82d was something 16073fe089 she had cbdf8938ca never wanted 0585449966 from the 237cc953d0 beginning. She never thought 4f6b0cf61a of it as e377d7bc54 hers, and she d21cfcea58 never would.b05a83ac1ebd6163

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Moreover, it was df6e49403f even more terrible cc949cd92c if the position a4e54e2011 was the wife f58a680896 of Emperor Knezh. He wanted to destroy 8730d9d8a6 her family. Being the wife da2b10ac37 of such a 4a41065b4c vicious and cruel d7a08ec82c man was something 712be33064 she hated more 378d1f69f6 than dying.e35ea6282b7d1faa