Chapter – 03
For one and a half years, Ausis and the Great Mun Empire continued negotiations over many matters of cooperation. The princess seemed to believe easily that Lee Juwon had learned the language of Ausis in just one month, but that was not true.
During those long negotiations, Lee Juwon often felt frustrated. In the end, he studied the language of Ausis for two shijin a day—four hours daily. Ana Rosa admired the Emperor’s Ausis speech, but in truth, he used Ausis even more freely when reading documents.
In the end, Ausis made many concessions in the negotiations. In exchange, they placed Ana Rosa into the empty position of Empress. Of course, the King of Ausis must have ordered her to win the old Emperor’s favor, become pregnant, and disturb the line of succession.
Anyone could guess that. Everyone kept silent about it, but even while in the Emperor’s arms, Ana Rosa insisted that she was capable of bearing children. If someone had known that she was either upright—or, in a worse way, tactless—they might have educated her more carefully. Perhaps they did not really understand what kind of child she was.
‘Or perhaps they did.’
The Emperor recalled the people who had followed behind Ana Rosa earlier. Among weasel-like officials and fox-like maids, there had been one woman who looked stubborn and honest, yet she was releasing killing intent without even hiding it.
Her killing aura had been so obvious that not only his guards, but even the Ausis officials standing before and behind her were tense. Whatever she had intended to do, she would have been stopped the moment she acted.
Most of the delegation had been formed for this political marriage. But that one woman seemed to have been prepared separately for this young princess. Perhaps because the princess was too young and too innocent, someone had placed her by the girl’s side.
After thinking for a moment, the Emperor spoke.
“I am sixty-nine years old. Soon, I will reach the age when I may follow my heart without breaking moral law. So whether you can bear children or not does not matter to me. In my eyes, a woman is……”
The Emperor set Ana Rosa down. She looked around the palace hall where she now stood. Unlike the white and shining marble palace of Ausis, this place where the Emperor had put her down was made of dark wood.
It smells like wood.
Like a forest.
Thud. The Emperor placed his hand on top of Ana Rosa’s head.
“After the coronation ceremony, there will be a banquet at night. Then, you may look at my women. Compared to them… you are still far too unripe.”
The Emperor burst into laughter. At that moment, the man standing beside him frowned. He appeared to be around the Emperor’s age. His clothing was similar in style to the Emperor’s, but much simpler in decoration. In the center of his robe was a square embroidery.
“Your Majesty.”
“Prime Minister, why do you frown? I have just given advice that will benefit this young woman.”
“Your Majesty, though I do not know the language of this foreign land, I have served by your side for a long time. Would I not understand?”
“Have I not always said? If you are too perceptive, you will shorten your own life.”
“If my life can be shortened for such a reason, then it must be the heaven-given span granted to me.”
“You are sharp, but have no flexibility. Tsk, tsk.”
The Emperor laughed again.
Ana Rosa raised her head and looked up at him. He was too tall. So tall that it felt like looking up at a fortress wall.
She could not understand what he was saying. She barely recognized the words Prime Minister, Your Majesty, I, and Heaven. With only those four words, it was impossible to guess the meaning of their conversation.
The Emperor did not care. He gestured somewhere. Soon, a group of women walked in gracefully. They knelt before him and pressed their foreheads to the floor. Ana Rosa’s eyes widened in shock. She had never seen anyone kneel like a criminal when they were not guilty.
“We greet His Imperial Majesty.”
“Long live, long live, long live Your Majesty.”
“May you enjoy great fortune.”
Lee Juwon looked down at the older court lady bowing deeply at the very front. She was someone he had specially assigned for this young Empress.
“She is the head court lady of the Empress’s Palace. In Ausis language… perhaps housekeeper?”
Lee Juwon turned to the interpreter with his eyes, asking silently what to call her.
“She is a maid, Your Majesty.”
“Ah, yes. A maid. They are the servants I give to you.”
Ana Rosa turned pale at those words. She had been born noble and had never once met a servant—a slave. She did not even know what slaves were like. She had never even met commoners. The palace workers could only move inside the palace when she was not present.
She had only heard that maids and servants existed. The women who attended her were all from noble families.
The lowest people she had ever seen were illegitimate children of noble families. People of low birth were beyond her imagination.
She swallowed dryly but could not speak. The interpreter hurriedly joined his hands respectfully and said,
“Eunuch Geum also comes from slave origins.”
A man standing behind the Emperor answered, “Yes, Your Majesty. I, Geum, entered the palace as a palace slave and received His Majesty’s grace to become the Grand Eunuch.”
Ana Rosa could not understand his words, but she understood that he agreed with the interpreter.
The interpreter smiled.
“I am also a commoner.”
Ana Rosa did not know what to do. She turned around and saw Blanca still standing outside the palace gates, unable to enter. Without Blanca, she had to speak with a commoner herself. After hesitating for a long time, she asked in a very small voice,
“A commoner… works as an official under His Imperial Majesty?”
“In Ausis, it is difficult. But this is the Great Mun Empire.”
Lee Juwon glanced at the interpreter as if asking what was happening.
“In Ausis, no one except nobles may speak to or attend the royal family, Your Majesty.”
“Then do the nobles also wash clothes and clean?”
“No, Your Majesty. Servants do such chores, but they must act without being seen by the royal family.”
“What a tiring way to live.”
He spoke with cold contempt. At his chilly tone, Ana Rosa’s shoulders stiffened.
Then he looked at her and smiled gently.
“She is truly a proper child. After seeing my own children, looking at this girl brightens my eyes.”
The Grand Eunuch smiled widely.
“Her Majesty the Empress is truly beautiful.”
“She is cute. Too young to discuss a woman’s beauty. In any case, this is good. Though she has no use as a woman, she may have some other use.”
The Grand Eunuch clicked his tongue inwardly. Most men liked young girls, but Lee Juwon had always preferred older women.
The God of War, the wise ruler, the conquering Emperor—yet when he was with the woman he favored, he would rest his head on her lap and act spoiled, giving her everything. It was not very manly.
The woman who perfectly suited him was the late Empress who had died of illness. Though she was five years younger than him, she embraced and cared for him like an older woman.
Lee Juwon loved the Empress so much that he disliked even visiting the concubines’ quarters. The Empress had to hold his hand and escort him there herself. Even then, he would quickly return to her palace after spending only one night.
A man who would remain forever in history became like a foolish child before the woman he loved. To such a man, a twelve-year-old was barely older than a baby who had just stopped wearing diapers.
The princess bowed once more to the Emperor and followed the head court lady toward the Empress’s Palace. Watching her leave, the Emperor let out a small laugh.
“Did my daughters look like that when they were married off?”
At his words, the Grand Eunuch looked up at him. He knew who the Emperor was thinking about, but he did not show it. Since the Emperor had asked, he had to answer carefully.
“The princesses had a loving imperial father, so they must have felt more at ease.”
The Emperor gently touched one of his rings. The Grand Eunuch pretended not to see and lowered his head. The Left Prime Minister standing beside the Emperor also lowered his eyes.
That ring had once belonged to a princess who had passed away long ago.
