After Story 3
It was the first time Saye had seen a person with the same hair color as her, and it was the first time she saw someone with eyes as beautiful as red jewels.
Saye listened to Lai’s story of a foreign country for several days.
“The hair and skin resemble His Majesty, and her gray eyes resemble Haseki.”
Lai said this while drinking tea. What she felt while dealing with Saye over the past few days was that she’s more curious about life outside than the stories of women’s dark struggles, or even about fighting for power at the inner court. Apart from that, she observed that Saye was an honest person.
“Is that so?”
Enin didn’t like it when Saye kept calling Lai to her bedroom. She thought that Saye would be wary of Lai before she came to the Empire. It was up to Enin, who sharpened her eyes and watched over Lai all the time. It was the nanny of the Emperor who warned Lai about how her neck would fall the very day she would attempt any foolish tricks. Enin had been waiting to catch on with her bright blue eyes.
“He will succeed His Majesty as a strong Emperor.”
With the same hair color and white skin, the two looked like sisters. However, unlike Lai, who exudes a bewitching and ripe atmosphere, Saye was no different from when she first met Kainer.
If it were an ordinary concubine, she would be happy to hear that the child she bore would become the successor, but Saye just stared at her own child and stroked him.
“I apologize if I offended you.”
“No. It just suddenly occurred to me that the palace is not all that it seems.”
Kainer ascended the throne by killing his brothers and even the former Sultan. He did not deny that the throne on which he sat was stained with blood.
A place where there was no choice but to spill blood using one’s own hands.
What would happen if this child had a brother, Saye couldn’t even ask anyone.
“The Emperor’s seat is not insignificant. So Haseki needs to be strong and supportive from behind.”
She wanted to avoid it if she could. Lai accurately pinpointed Saye’s chaotic mind and pointed out the future she would face.
Mirga ordered Lai to spend time with Saye as often and as long as possible and make time to stand out in front of the Sultan. However, Lai fell in love with her conversations with Saye without realizing it. Saye mainly shared the content of the books she had read, and Lai shared her entire life, starting with when she was a slave.
They even tried to guess the rumors about each country that they had heard through each other’s ears or in writing.
When Lai calmly talked about the days when she was sold like a beast because of her unusual hair color and eyes, Saye also clenched her fists and shared Lai’s sorrow. The reason why Lai was sold was the same as Saye who was brought to this Imperial Palace.
Since Lai was a slave before she became a concubine, she had to be conscious of the underlying intentions a few times the other partner said it. Only then could she survive.
But even as Saye occupied the seat next to the Sultan alone, she showed Lai her feelings and thoughts just as she was. She softly but clearly articulated what she’s interested in and what she was not, and her intentions were completely transparent.
“I was beaten to death when I was caught running away the first time. I still have that scar on my back.”
Lai quickly noticed that Saye didn’t want to tell the story about her child, and she turned the topic around and continued her story from yesterday. Saye hugged the child, and she immediately opened her eyes and listened to Lai’s voice. Enin said she would take care of the child, but Saye refused with a smile.
The child in his mother’s arms softly blinked his eyes or glanced around gently, giving the illusion that he might be listening to what they were saying.
“It’s the same with slavery and the harem. When you are caught running away, it’s hard to survive. The reason I survived was because of the hair color that resembles Haseki and the unusual red eyes.”
Lai concluded bitterly that her arms and legs would be cut in place of her life because it can be sold at a high price to those looking for something unusual.
“You do look alike.”
No one announced the Sultan’s visit. She turned her head, startled by his voice, to see Kainer leaning against the doorway, and the gentle smile faded away.
“Lord Kainer!”
When Saye jumped up, Enin quickly took the child, lest it would be too much for her master. Lai, of low rank, lay flat on the floor.
“Get up. Keep pleasing my wife with your mouth.”
Lai swallowed a gulp. The Sultan, who was said to be busy taking measures because the western part of the Empire was having a drought, visited Saye’s palace every hour. She heard that he had always made time to see Saye, but they never said that he visited every hour like this, except when Saye was pregnant.
However, since Lai came, Kainer visited Saye’s palace several times a day. Drinking tea was no exception.
It was said that in the palace, a story had already spread that the Emperor had fallen for the new silver-haired woman. It was also said that the Sultan went to see the Haseki more often only to see the other woman.
Mirga heard the rumors and was convinced it wouldn’t be long before the Sultan called Lai to bed, but Lai thought differently.
Lai thought it didn’t seem to be the case as the Emperor, who looked at Saye with a gentle expression, yet occasionally stared at Lai as if he was looking right through her when their eyes met.
The Sultan’s nanny noticed the Sultan’s gaze on Lai as well. Enin was restless when the Sultan, Lai, and Saye were together. Whenever Kainer looked at Lai, Enin spoke to Saye and diverted her attention.
She was a faithful woman. The woman’s concern and warmth that her master’s heart could be felt clearly.
The Sultan stood next to Saye. Lai hadn’t risen from the floor yet, and received Kainer’s gaze with her whole body.
Could this be good news as Mirga said?
Saye was looking at her child. It was because of the child’s sudden whining and trying to go out of his mother’s arms.
“Did you say your name was Lai?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. Thank you for remembering my name.”
A hoarse voice came out of its own. Anyway, the reason Lai came to the Empire and the Imperial Palace was to share the Emperor with Saye. Saye’s a good person to hang out with. After all, an Emperor cannot be monopolized by one woman.
“It’s good to have the guts to look away from me.”
Kainer didn’t really hide that he was looking at Lai. Although there was Saye, he didn’t care, he accused Lai of avoiding his eyes.
Saye looked at Kainer as she raised her child, but she didn’t say anything as he had a friendly smile on his face. What was she thinking when this woman came? Saye was a person whose thoughts and feelings were directly reflected on her face, but he couldn’t understand her now.
“…My sins are worthy of death.”
Kainer’s gaze on Lai, who was contemplating whether he wanted to devour her or not, was persistent. She didn’t know if this was sexual tension, or really just anger at avoiding the Emperor’s eyes. No, she didn’t know enough about Kainer to be able to tell it apart in the first place.
Should she trust the rumors that he was interested in her, or should she follow her reluctant instinct?
Lai had been thinking about it for a while.
“You’re so eloquent that Miss Saye talks about Lai until she’s in bed.”
Kainer said to Saye. Lai saw that most of what she had told Saye had gone to Kainer, and she looked at him nervously. The Sultan didn’t look particularly unhappy.
Lai didn’t slander the Emperor or make up nonsense. She thought he was that kind of person, but she didn’t know what he was really thinking.
However, at this moment, even the slightest suspicion against Saye was swept away. In a situation where she might have to share a man, she might bite and tear others apart, but Saye wouldn’t. Lai liked her more and more. If it’s Saye, Lai thought they’d be able to rule the harem together.
“Yes. When I listen to her stories, it makes me forget the time until past meal time.”
“Still, you shouldn’t skip meals.”
They exchanged friendly words with each other.
Perhaps it was true that he was as busy as he may be, Kainer soon prepared to leave, kissing his child on the forehead. When everyone got up to see the Sultan off, he gestured to dismiss them and left Saye’s palace.
“Haseki needs to rest, so the guest must leave.”
Immediately after that, Enin cut Lai off like a knife. There was still time until Saye’s nap time. However, as the Emperor’s nanny stubbornly pushed her away, Lai eventually stood up.
Strictly speaking, Lai was Saye’s slave, but Saye commanded that she be treated as a guest. Although she belonged to Saye, everyone called Lai as a guest because they did not treat Saye’s words carelessly.
“Then I’ll see you again after you wake up.”
Saye spent most of the daytime with Lai, except for the nighttime that she spent with Kainer.
“Yes. I am a little tired today.”
Saye nodded her head and said. She didn’t rebuke Enin’s words. Because she respects Enin, and she thinks Enin must have a reason for doing this.
As the owner of the palace said so, Lai thought that today would be the end of the day, so Lai bowed and left the palace.
As she turned the corner of the hallway, Kainer, whom she thought had already returned to his office, was waiting for her.
She was bewildered, but she quickly fell flat on her face and greeted him. The Sultan bowed his head as if to Saye without telling her to get up.
“Tonight, come to my place.”
“…I’m grateful, Your Majesty.”
Thinking that Saye might hear it, Lai answered in a low voice, even though it was quite a distance from her room. After leaving only that one sentence, Kainer left with his escorts.
Lai couldn’t move there for a while.
The Emperor called her to his place tonight. The Emperor. Meaning, she would serve him and become Kadin.
Her palms were damp. Feeling nervous, she clasped her hands before she knew it. Even though she knew enough that she was sick and tired of men, she felt strangely different. Lai softly rubbed her palms soaked in cold sweat against her silk clothes, then gulped.
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