Chapter 9 SAGE


    I was so tempted to lift my face up. I know I''ve heard that voice from somewhere; I''m sure of it. I just couldn''t recall where exactly heard that deep baritone voice.


    "Just a quick look," I murmur. I slowly lifted my head, trying to get a glimpse of his face. But before I could even take a peek, I was startled by Beta Scott''s thundering voice. "Keep your head low if you still want your head attached to your body," he threatened.


    My throat felt dry as my eyes widened in fear. I immediately dismiss whatever n I have in my head. Seeing His Majesty''s face was not worth anything. I''d rather live in the shadow than get into his nerves.


    I quickly kneeled in front of the king and bowed my head to the ground. "Forgive me, Your Majesty. I-I didn''t mean to "


    "It''s fine, Scott," said His Majesty, interrupting me as I heard his footsteps getting closer and closer.


    gasped for air


    air as soon as his intoxicating scent prated my nostrils. There''s something about him that affects me and ignites a fire within me that I wasn''t aware of. I gulped when I saw his boots in front of me. It only means one thing: he''s close. Close enough for me to feel his overpowering presence without even looking at him. "Stand up," he ordered.


    I immediately do as she says without lifting my eyes. I remained fixed on the ground, only seeing his feet.


    I held my breath when he slowly lean forward closer to my ear. "Let''s see how your n unfolds, kitten," he whispered against my car.


    I can feel the warmth of his breath brushing against my skin, and it sends shivers down my spine. At the same time, I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion. What does he mean by that?


    Before I could even utter a word, he stood up and walked past me, leaving me with more questions than answers. I wanted to follow him and ask him, yet I''m afraid that I might identally look at his face.


    "You''re dismissed," I heard him say as he walked past me.


    Tue, Sep


    I do as he says without thinking: 1 follow him without lifting my head in fear that I might look at His Majesty''s face. I can''t see my path properly because I didn''t calcte our distance, causing me to bump my head against his back. "I-I''m sorry!" I quickly apologized. I was expecting to get scolded, but I was surprised. when, instead of shouting. I heard a rich chuckle filling the room.


    "You''re cute, kitten. I think I''m going to enjoy your presence around here," said that familiar baritone voice. I saw him waive his finger, and a woman quickly walked to his side. "Escort my new wife to her chamber and see to it that you''ll be attending every need," he ordered. "Yes, Your Majesty," she answered.


    I remained fixed to the ground as I watched his feet leave.


    her


    "You can raise your head now, mydy," said the woman His Majesty called a while ago.


    I breathed out a sigh of relief before lifting my head. I gently massaged my neck as it slightly hurt from lowering my head for too long.From N?velDrama.Org.


    "I don''t know how people in the pce manage to not look at His Majesty''s face whenever they serve him," Imented, not minding my words. I quickly covered my mouth when I realized that I shouldn''t be saying that in the presence of a person who works in the pce.


    I


    My eyes widen in fear as I turn my eyes towards the woman who was ordered to bring me to my chamber. She was about to close my eyes. She has long, dark brown hair, the same color as her eyes.


    I breathed out a sigh of relief when a smile broke on her face. "We''re allowed to look at him whenever we serve him," she said, smiling.


    "Really?" I said it in surprise. "Was that a thing only for new concubines?" I curiously


    asked. She gives off a different vibe that makes itfortable for me to talk to her


    She smiled before she replied, "I''m not sure what you''re talking about, mydy."


    "That "don''t look at His Majesty''s face" thing," I insisted.


    "I''m not exactly sure what you mean by that, mydy," she replied.


    Her response makes me even more confused. "Then it must be a new thing because His Majesty didn''t allow me to look at his face." She furrowed her eyebrows and pursed her lips. "That''s weird. I haven''t heard about


    G Chapter 9''


    that rule."


    "Yeah, that''s weird," I agreed, feeling a bit awkward about the whole formal exchange. "Oh, where are my manners? I''m sorry, I haven''t introduced myself. I''m Sage," I said, extending my hand towards her. But instead of epting it, she performed a small curtsy. "Pleasure to meet you, mydy. I am at your disposal."


    "You can call me Sage. I''m not reallyfortable with all these formalities," I insisted, trying to break the ice.


    afraid I I can''t do that, mydy. You''re the king''s wife, and I am your maid," she replied, her tone respectful but firm.


    "But-"I began, only to be interrupted


    by her


    "Please, mydy. "I''m sorry. I didn''t mean to-"I stammered, feeling flustered by her insistence.


    Don''t make things difficult for me," she pleaded, her eyes filled with sincerity.


    "I know you''re new to these kinds of protocols. However, you need to remember that you''re not the same person you were before you stepped foot inside this ce. You are now a woman of the pce, and there are rules here that have been around even before you and in this That''s the foundation of this that we need to abide she reminded


    "I''m sorry." I apologized again, feeling a mixture of embarrassment and confusion. It was clear that adjusting to life in the pce was going to be more challenging than I had, anticipated.


    "I''m beneath you, so please stop apologizing. You need to learn a lot of things from now on. But don''t worry, I''m here to help you until you finally get a hold of how things work around here," she assured me, her tone gentle yet firm, as if she were already ustomed to guiding neers through the intricate maze of pce life.


    "Thank you." I smiled gratefully, appreciating her reassurance in the midst of my uncertainty.


    You''re wee, mydy. Let me escort you to your chamber. Tonight will be your first night serving His Majesty, so we still have a lot of preparations to do before the nightes," she informed me, her voice carrying a sense of purpose as she spoke. "Okay," I responded, feeling a mixture of anticipation and trepidation at the thought of  GO


    meeting the king for the first time. "By the way, I didn''t get your name."


    "Call me Alice, mydy," she replied with a warm smile, her eyes twinkling with kindness.


    "Thank you, Alice." I nodded, grateful for her guidance as we embarked on this new chapter of my life in the pce.


    As Alice led me through thebyrinthine corridors of the pce, I couldn''t help but marvel at the opulence and grandeur that surrounded us. Gilded fabric hangings adorned the walls, their intricate designs depicting scenes of royal splendor and triumph. Crystal chandeliers cast a soft, ethereal glow, illuminating the path before us as we made our way deeper into the heart of the pce. As we walked, Alice shared bits of pce history and rules, helping me understand how things worked here. Her words wereforting, making me feel more at case in this new ce. Finally, we reached my chamber, a spacious room adorned with sumptuous furnishings and elegant décor. Arge four-poster bed dominated the space, its plush bedding inviting me to rest and rx after the day''s events. A crackling fire danced in the hearth, casting a warm, flickering light that bathed


    thed the room in a in a cozy ambiance.


    "Here we are, mydy," Alice announced, gesturing towards the room with a smile. "I trust you''ll find everything to your liking."


    "It''s perfect, Alice. Thank you," I replied, gratitude swelling within me for her kindness and hospitality.


    "If you need anything at all, don''t hesitate to call for me. I''ll be just outside," she assured me before taking her leave, leaving me alone to contemte the whirlwind of emotions that had swept me into this new and unfamiliar world.


    As I settled into my new surroundings, the weight of my new reality slowly settled in. Tonight would mark the beginning of my journey as the king''s consort. But as I gazed out the window at the courtyard below, a sense of determination welled up within me.


    I have no choice but to go along with my new life. I''m not sure what the future holds for me or how long I will be staying here in the pce. But regardless of the uncertainty, I have no one to depend on, and I have to rely on my strength in order to survive this ce. As I slowly realized my situation, I couldn''t help but sneer. "Who am I kidding? I don''t know anything about how the pce works. No one prepared me for this. Who knows how long it will take before I break the rules that will cause me to lose my head?" I let


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