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Join the Server“Open your eyes.”
The cold voice at his ear snapped Fria back to awareness. Dark eyes, burning with anger, loomed right in front of him.
“…How ridiculous.”
Dressed so carefully, waiting for a man, yet acting so arrogantly. Closing his eyes and surrendering himself like some pure maiden offered as a sacrifice… it was revolting.
When Owen had first received the report, that the concubine sent from Alphennia was not the duke’s six-year-old daughter, but his grown younger brother, he had scoffed.
It didn’t matter who came. Even if it had been a village woman over fifty, he had no intention of caring.
‘But a man?’
Did they think the blood of the former crown prince, rumored to favor men, still lingered?
If that was their expectation, then so be it.
He would give them exactly what they wanted.
Let the empire drown in scandal once more.
He had already noticed that the concubine, the man before him, did not want this.
And yet, he had stepped forward in place of his niece. Now he pretended to be some martyr?
“I know your kind well.”
The moment he saw despair flicker across Fria’s face, something twisted inside him.
Fria began to resist, weakly, belatedly.
Owen grabbed his jaw and forced his face aside, shoving him down into the sheets so he wouldn’t have to look at that expression.
A muffled sound escaped Fria’s lips.
He struggled, trying to break free.
Owen pinned him down, flipping his body with ease. When he seized his ankle and lifted it, there was no denying it, the body beneath him was male.
A faint laugh escaped him as he climbed over Fria.
“For men like you, born male, groaning beneath another man to gain wealth and power… filthy creatures. You’ll be paid well for tonight, so stay still.”
Pain tore through Fria’s body.
It felt like burning iron pressed against him, like a blade splitting him apart.
He writhed, then suddenly bit down hard on Owen’s arm.
A blow came immediately.
The metallic taste of blood filled his mouth. Blood from his nose ran down his throat.
Owen glanced briefly at the blood dripping from his wrist, then continued without expression.
As the emperor’s presence finally withdrew, Fria’s consciousness slipped away.
The sound of footsteps leaving without a backward glance faded like a distant dream.
****
“…Fria? Are you awake? Can you recognize me? It’s me, Judith.”
Fria slowly opened his eyes.
Judith’s face, swollen from crying, came into view.
“…Ah…”
The moment he regained awareness, a sharp ache surged through his lower body. His face twisted involuntarily.
As a groan slipped from his lips, Judith panicked and jumped to call for the physician.
But Fria grabbed her sleeve, forcing himself upright.
“My head’s pounding… don’t shout, Judith.”
“I thought you were dead!”
She collapsed beside the bed, sobbing again.
…Of course she would be shocked.
The torn clothes, the ruined bed, the blood-stained sheets.
It was not something a young girl should have seen.
Fria’s chest tightened faintly.
“I was so worried… The physician said you’d wake up, but you wouldn’t respond… The steward came by so many times…”
“The steward?”
‘Why?’
Confusion flickered, then dread followed.
Memories flooded back.
Resisting. Refusing to spread his legs. Getting hit.
Biting the emperor. Getting hit again.
And… did he really say that word out loud?
“…Damn it.”
His face drained of color.
Judith misread his expression and hurried to her feet.
“I’ll go get the steward-”
****
“Ah, you’re awake, Lord Fria!”
The steward entered, voice bright with excitement.
Servants followed behind, carrying boxes.
“Congratulations. Having received His Majesty’s favor, you have been elevated to the rank of Inner Palace Consort. Ten thousand hetaba of land are now yours, and a tax reduction of one hundred thousand dor has been granted to Alphennia…”
Fria blinked.
“…Wait. Hold on. Grandpa.”
He stood abruptly, flashing an awkward smile at the servants…
Then bolted straight into the bath chamber.
****
“How long are you going to stay in there? At least change your clothes. Everyone’s gone now.”
Judith sighed, looking down at Fria, who was curled up inside the empty tub.
“Judith.”
“Yes?”
“…This is a dream, right? Please tell me it’s a dream.”
“It’s not.”
“…No. It has to be.”
Judith beamed instead.
“It feels like a dream to me! You rose so quickly! Because of you, my status has gone up too! Everyone’s jealous!”
“…I’m doomed.”
“What do you mean, doomed?!”
“How am I supposed to face my brothers now…?”
“…What?”
“They’ll hear about the tax reduction too, right?”
“Of course! A messenger already left earlier!”
Fria buried his face in his hands.
His older brother’s expression came to mind, somewhere between laughter and despair.
And then… Gir.
The one who had warned him not to cause trouble.
“…I’m going to die of embarrassment.”
****
At the same time, in the imperial palace.
Owen listened to the steward’s report.
“…And his reaction?”
The steward hesitated.
“He… suddenly left the room and did not return for a while.”
“…Meaning?”
“I believe… he was simply overwhelmed with joy.”
Owen waved him away.
So that man thought he had been favored.
A cold smirk touched his lips.
Recalling the resistance from the previous night, Owen began considering how to reclaim, in one way or another, what he had granted Alphennia.
In the end.
Both the duchy, and that man.
Would kneel beneath him.
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