Chapter 11 – I Can’t Believe He’s Doing This To Me (2)


    Though he was desperate not to do this, Sovieshu called in his servants and secretaries and gave them an order.


    “I need ady-in-waiting to serve Rashta. You all must have female rtives. I want each of you to rmend two people for me.”


    The Emperor’s concubine was in an odd position, as both the subject of much attention and envy, as well as criticism and contempt. Sovieshu thought that Rashta’s status as amoner must have hurt the nobles’ pride. For this reason, some emperors married their concubine to another aristocrate to forge a noble identity, but there was too much talk about Rashta to conceal her background. For a month or a year, the nobles would only pretend to be friendly to Rashta, so long as Sovieshu continued to care for her.


    Because no one would volunteer, he had no choice but to give an order.


    “She needs to have a peer, so be mindful about the age difference.”


    The servants and secretaries exchanged awkward nces among themselves.


    *


    *


    *


    “You’re talking about this...this runaway ve! Are you crazy?”


    “Father! How can you say that to Mother?”


    Baron Lant’s hands were trembling and sweating profusely.


    “Runaway ve? No, she’s not a runaway ve, she’s amoner–”


    “Even if she’s not a runaway ve, it’s still a problem because everyone thinks so!”


    Baroness Lant put her hands on her hips and red at her husband.


    “You want me to serve a runaway ve? People willugh at you, and our Jess, as well as me. The Baron Lant is below a ve!”


    Baron Lant believed that Rashta was a charming and lovely woman, and that one day other nobles would fall for the new concubine. But that was the future, and it’s clear that people in society today had a bad opinion of Rashta. Unfortunately, what Baroness Lant said was true.


    “What about on your side, your niece Aesi–”


    “Are suggesting we decide her future for her because she isn’t your niece...? Even among your extended family there are at least three nieces, no?”


    “You don’t know their personalities. They aren’t just someone you can put into another person’s care.”


    “Oh my, see this? What’s the excuse now?”


    As the Baron and Baroness Lant argued with each other, the other servants and secretaries found themselves in simr circumstances. Everyone shook their heads while talking about the runaway ve. However, they weren’t in the position to back down like the Empress. In the end, Count Pirnu and Baron Lant were ordered by the Emperor to bring their female rtives to the pce for a month.


    *


    *


    *


    I thought Sovieshu would force me to inquire the noblewomen again. But somehow, three dayster, mydies-in-waiting informed me that Count Pirnu’s daughter and a Baron Lant’s distant rtive would serve as Rashta’spanions. Setting aside Baron Lant’s rtive, it was surprising that Count Pirnu’s daughter would take on the job.


    “Isn’t that youngdy’s name Helen?”


    I knew that the Pirnu family was a strong household.


    “Yes, Your Majesty.”


    Yet Helen somehow was thedy-in-waiting.


    “Helen is inquisitive and has a good rtionship with her father. Maybe she’s here for the Count’s sake.”


    “I suppose so.”


    I nodded and did not bring it up anymore.


    Fortunately, a few hourster, Ipletely forgot about Rashta when I went for a walk and found the handsome bird once again. Thedies-in-waiting were amazed when the bird flew and hovered before me.


    “Oh, the bird’s here again.”


    “See how it goes to the Empress! Amazing.”


    The bird had another note on its leg.


    – But I’m smarter than a bird. I’m sobering up now.


    I chuckled as I read the note. It was for no big reason in particr, I justughed.


    I watered the bird, then quickly wrote a reply.


    – Looks like you’re not fully sober yet. What’s the bird’s name?


    Thedies giggled again after seeing my note. Everyone mused on whether it was fun to write such letters. I kissed the bird’s small head andunched it into the sky, and it pped its wings and flew away.


    This time I ended the letter with a question. Would the person who received the letter reply to me again?


    I liked to think so.


    *


    *


    *


    The name I temporarily forgot about arrived back in my ears not long after.


    “Empress. I’vee to ask you something about Rashta.”


    I was busy discussing the New Year’s preparations with the minister of finance when Sovieshu brought her up.


    “Is it urgent?”


    I nced at my watch, as if I had already finished my work day. If it was not urgent, we could talkter. There was no rush about Rashta.


    Instead of replying to me, Sovieshu looked at the minister, who stood up awkwardly from his seat and walked away. All the other officials followed suit. In a moment, only the two of us were left in the room.


    “What’s going on?”


    Sovieshu looked at me beyond therge table.


    “As I said, it’s about Rashta.”


    Please, couldn’t he solve the concubine’s problems on his own? I nodded, pressing down the words in my throat.


    “Alright.”


    “Did you spread rumors that Rashta is a runaway ve?”


    “That story again?”


    Except he was more specific than before. Last time he only asked if I said something strange. I looked at him in trepidation.


    “Not only do Rashta’s newdies-in-waiting do not treat her properly, but they also don’t act asdies-in-waiting at all. ”


    “Your Majesty, I don’t want to be involved in any way with your concubine.”


    “But why do they ignore Rashta at every turn, andpare everything she does to the Empress? Poor Rashta hid it and didn’t say a word to me. If I hadn’t seen thedies’-in-waiting behavior by ident, I wouldn’t have known it was happening. ”


    “Shouldn’t we ask thedies-in-waiting?”


    “I asked, and they said they didn’t want to serve a runaway ve.”


    “...You are truly unreasonable.”