X
Join our Discord server and get release updates for every novel you follow.
Join the ServerFria squeezed his eyes shut.
This was a path he had chosen himself. And now, before an absolute ruler with unchecked power, he was utterly helpless.
****
The carriage that had dropped Fria and Judith off turned back toward the main palace. Watching it disappear into the distance, Fria heard Judith begin to grumble beside him.
“If you were going to walk, why did you ask to get off here? It’s quite far, you know. And you even dismissed the attendants. It’s getting dark, aren’t you scared?”
“It’s still within the concubine quarters. Not that far. And it’s not even fully dark yet. I just felt like walking. I think dinner might sit heavy otherwise.”
Fria patted his chest dramatically.
Judith, however, looked anything but reassured.
“Honestly, I don’t understand what went wrong.”
“Yeah… me neither.”
“You’re already beautiful, but today you were dazzling! Overwhelming! Absolutely radiant!”
“He told me to ask for something, so I did.”
“How can someone get even prettier than they already are? But today you were even more beautiful than yesterday!”
“Is that so hard?”
“It is.”
“…I see.”
Both of them fell into thought, trying, and failing, to understand the emperor.
“Maybe he was just tired after recovering from illness?”
“Even so, that attitude was too much. I took care of him, and that’s how he acts? He’s the one who asked, and then he gets angry?”
“The emperor got angry?”
Judith’s eyes widened.
“Why? Did you say something that upset him?”
“All I did was answer his question.”
“What did you ask for?”
“I just asked for permission to enter the library. Oh, right, Judith, you don’t have to fetch books for me anymore. I got permission.”
“The library? That’s all you asked for when he said he’d grant anything?”
“I don’t really need anything. And you’ve been running errands for books, it’ll be easier if I go myself.”
“Need nothing? What about the new Savina collection?! Or the new collection?! Or the new collection?!”
“Judith… you wanted clothes? You should’ve said so. I can afford at least that much.”
“One dress would wipe out this month’s budget!”
Judith puffed her cheeks.
“At the very least, you should’ve asked for more attendants! Or even a better residence! Opportunities like that don’t come often!”
“Are we short on help? I can just pitch in.”
“That’s not the point! You’re the mistress of a palace. If you only have me, it doesn’t look proper. Others have three or four attendants at least. And everyone already knows the others left.”
Fria tilted his head.
“Is that so?”
“Yes! People should be able to look at you and think, ‘Ah, that’s the emperor’s favored concubine!’ You need something to show for it! Something impressive! It helps with reputation! And mine too!”
Fria chuckled softly.
“Judith, I didn’t know you were so ambitious.”
“I’m just saying! If it were me… I’d ask for a diamond necklace.”
“A diamond?”
“It’s a dream! The biggest one in the world! I’d wear it and show it off. Everyone would be so jealous!”
Fria smiled faintly.
“A proper request, huh…”
The moon rose behind him as he walked.
****
Later that night…
“Ah? I must’ve dozed off.”
Judith stretched lazily, not even bothering to cover her yawn.
“Dozed off? You were snoring.”
“I do not snore!”
Fria smiled as he gathered up the heavy layers of his dress.
“Ahh! What are you doing?! That dress is expensive! You’ll wrinkle it!”
Ignoring her, Fria stepped closer.
“It’s late. Time to end the game. Help me take this off so I can sleep.”
“The emperor…?”
Judith glanced around nervously.
“He didn’t come.”
“…What?”
“He. Didn’t. Come.”
“Not anywhere?”
“Nowhere.”
Relief and confusion flickered across her face…
And then…
The massive doors creaked open.
A man stepped inside.
“…Were you about to sleep?”
Judith froze.
“Y-Your Majesty!”
“Or was I interrupting something?”
Fria turned slowly.
The emperor.
There was no mistaking it.
The cold black eyes. The presence. The absolute authority.
And something else.
Intent.
A chilling certainty settled over him.
The emperor truly meant to take him.
“Leave.”
At the command, everyone withdrew instantly.
The doors shut.
Silence fell.
Only the faint crackle of candle flames remained.
“…You look surprised.”
Of course he was.
Fria had never imagined this.
Not even once.
Yet here the emperor stood, in his chamber, in the dead of night.
“Take it off.”
The command fell like thunder.
Fria hesitated only a moment.
Then began undoing the buttons.
Layer after layer.
Dress after dress.
Fabric after fabric.
Each one more suffocating than the last.
His hands trembled, but he didn’t stop.
At some point, the emperor moved.
A strong grip seized his wrist.
“I should warn you,” the emperor said coldly.
“I am not a patient man.”
Before Fria could react…
He was thrown onto the bed.
Pain shot through the back of his head as it struck the frame.
The emperor removed his own shirt.
A trained, hardened body revealed under the dim light.
He approached.
Fria instinctively retreated…
But there was nowhere left to go.
His back hit the bed.
The emperor reached out.
Fabric tore.
Fria clenched his eyes shut.
There was no escape.
Your next favorite story awaits! Don't miss out on My Star, Your Star – click to dive in!
Read : My Star, Your Star
If You Notice any translation issues or inconsistency in names, genders, or POV etc? Let us know here in the comments or on our Discord server, and we’ll fix it in current and future chapters. Thanks for helping us to improve! 🙂