The Concubine Does Not Love the Emperor - Chapter 14

Boldly grabbing Ray’s wrist, Margaret ran, but she could only freeze in front of the market. The market, consisting of a single floor, was divided into various sections that were connected like a beehive. The entrances were complexly intertwined with narrow alleys, making it an ideal structure to get lost in if one stepped in without caution.

“From here, I’ll lead the way. I know this place well,” Ray said, taking Margaret’s hand and stepping forward. He entered an alley where sausages and various kinds of preserved meat hung. The smell of dried jerky brushed against their noses. Soldiers split into several groups to search. Soldiers also followed behind Margaret.

“Be careful in these tight spaces, so you don’t bump into anything.”

Ray dashed forward as if he were familiar with it. Margaret felt the strength in the hand holding hers. The pursuing soldiers blew whistles. Someone shouted loudly.

“It’s this way!”

Margaret tensed up with anxiety. Unlike the previous escapes, the soldiers were moving systematically. Ray remarked with amusement, “It looks like the city guards have been reinforced during that time.”

As the soldiers closed in, Ray reached out and knocked down the oranges stacked like a mountain on a cart. The oranges tumbled to the ground, and an angry merchant rushed out, yelling.

“Sorry – take the money from the soldier behind.”

Ray apologized in a voice that showed no remorse. The merchant’s voice was drowned out by the sound of the pursuing soldiers. Pomegranates, neatly stacked on the carts, tumbled down, followed by lemons. Other merchants who saw this quickly gathered up the items on their carts and moved them inside.

More carts were damaged by the pursuing soldiers than were knocked over while fleeing. Some enraged merchants grabbed the soldiers and started quarreling, demanding restitution.

The already intricate market became greatly chaotic. Like a child playing tag, Ray laughed as he outpaced the soldiers. Occasionally, he murmured to himself, “This is fun.”

He was a man with no answers. He seemed oblivious to the fact that he was being chased. While stealing glances at her from time to time, Ray skillfully avoided the carts loaded with goods passing by.

Despite the complex alleys, he moved through them as if he were strolling through his own courtyard. It was astonishing how swiftly he navigated through the narrow streets. The pursuing soldiers collided with each other as they tried to follow him from behind and suddenly encountered soldiers coming from the front, resulting in comical crashes. Ray held his stomach and laughed upon seeing this. It felt like watching a comical play.

Breathless and covered in sweat, Margaret looked worn out. Even Ray, who had been running as if he could escape all day, looked tired. He ran through a bent path and entered a shabby building in a remote area. Since the soldiers had fallen over the fallen pole that Ray had tripped over, there were no pursuers.

Inside the building, wooden crates that once held fruit were piled up haphazardly. It appeared to be used as a warehouse. Margaret cautiously stepped inside, adjusting her breath. Thin sunlight poured through the sparsely woven branches of the ceiling, and with each step, dry dust rose in hazy clouds. There were four old chairs and a small table, where someone seemed to occasionally rest. Two dice, carved from stones, were on the table. This warehouse might have served as a resting place for merchants or a gambling den. Venturing further, she discovered a blind spot behind a protruding pillar where she could hide her body.

“It’s hot!”

Ray followed Margaret lazily and took off his vest. The white cotton fabric became transparent as it clung to his body, drenched in sweat. His strong and massive body was blatantly displayed. His well-built muscles moved beautifully every time he fanned himself. Margaret found herself momentarily captivated by the sight.

“You should take off your clothes too, like me.”

Ray chuckled faintly as he sensed her gaze. Margaret quickly turned her head and touched the rough surface of a pillar awkwardly. She could feel the rough texture of the bricks beneath her fingertips.

“I can handle it on my own.”

The long dress she wore underneath the vest was the same white color as Ray’s. The material was much finer and lighter. She could feel droplets of sweat trickling down her sternum and spine. She didn’t need to look to know it was happening. She was aware that her own clothing, like Ray’s, clung to her body, revealing her figure. In a confined space, with a man and a woman alone in such a state, it was easy to predict what might unfold. No matter how accommodating her outer appearance might be, Margaret wasn’t starving enough to engage in such actions with a stranger.

“It looks hot.”

Smiling mischievously, Ray pulled down his long sleeves and pressed his fingers firmly against Margaret’s forehead. The ends of his white sleeves were damp with sweat. Her stomach churned. Margaret lightly pushed Ray’s hand away and then patted her forehead, which he had gently pressed. Upon seeing her reaction, Ray chuckled lightly, as if he had expected it.

“I’ll take a look and be back in a moment.”

As his laughter resonated, Margaret’s churning stomach calmed down. A face that sparkled like that when he smiled would make any woman feel the same way. So, there was nothing special about the emotions she was harboring.

While she opened the door and extended her neck to survey the outside scene, Ray rummaged through the wooden crates and luckily found one remaining pomegranate. With a thud, Margaret was startled and turned around to see Ray splitting the pomegranate in half and offering it to her. She raised an eyebrow and shook her head. He seemed overly casual.

“He probably hasn’t gone far yet.”

The sound of the soldiers searching for them reached their ears. They were persistent as if it wasn’t a simple matter. After all, they had reported that the chief minister had died. If the soldiers continued to search until late into the night, they might realize that she was missing from the harem. Her heart grew uneasy.

“Damn it.”

An unintended curse escaped her lips. However, Ray leisurely chewed on the pomegranate and spat out the seeds. His lips were stained red with pomegranate juice.

“We can’t leave yet. The soldiers are searching this vicinity.”

Ray wiped the pomegranate juice that dripped down his chin with his palm and asked, “Will the soldiers search this far?”

“If I were them, I would.”

Margaret had been the captain of the guards. She could anticipate how the soldiers would act. Hearing the soldiers’ voices about wanting to search this area, Margaret closed the door. Then, she walked briskly and pushed Ray behind the protruding pillar she had been keeping an eye on. She positioned herself beside him. Ray, who had been holding a mouthful of pomegranate seeds, couldn’t spit them out when Margaret pressed herself against him, so he swallowed them all in one gulp.

“It’s tight.”

From an eye-to-eye perspective, there was enough space for about two people to hide comfortably. However, due to Ray’s bulky frame, the space was cramped beyond measure. Margaret glanced at Ray, wondering if he could move a bit closer to the wall. Once again, he swallowed something with a gulp. His Adam’s apple moved noticeably. Even if he was clueless, Ray seemed to have realized the current situation. He tossed the remaining pomegranate he was eating into an empty box. Then, he spread his arms wide.

“Alright, come closer!”

It was outrageous. Ray’s violet eyes sparkled as he repeated himself.

“Come on, hurry up! Isn’t it awkward if we get caught?”

Of course, being close to him would allow them to be perfectly hidden behind the pillar. She knew it in her head, but his expectant gaze was so irritatingly demanding that it made her angry.

“It’s not me that it’ll be awkward for if we get caught.”

“Why me?”

Around this point, Margaret couldn’t help but doubt Ray. Despite his seemingly normal appearance, she couldn’t help but wonder if he was lacking a brain. A reasonable suspicion.

“Right now, you’re being chased as a murderer.”

“Why?”

Margaret rubbed her forehead with her hand and sighed. She had an impulse to just open the door and leave him behind, but she knew the soldiers in the temple had undoubtedly seen her with Ray. The soldier who testified had mentioned that she was with a woman. She mustered her patience again.

“Earlier, they said the chief minister died in the temple. The soldiers were chasing after the killer. Of course, we’re not the culprits. We saw the real killer drop the knife and run. But the soldiers saw you, Ray. They saw you with a bloodstained knife! If they catch you, you’ll be locked up at least in the underground prison until the real culprit is caught. In the worst case, they might just pin the blame on you!”

She must have made herself clear by now. However, just as she finished speaking, Ray suddenly pulled Margaret close and embraced her tightly. A mixture of his sweaty scent and the fresh smell of pomegranates enveloped her.

“You ran away to help me!”

His voice was excited.

“I ran away because I was afraid of getting caught!”

Before Ray could continue his passionate words, Margaret quickly raised her hand to cover his mouth. Simultaneously, the door swung wide open.

“What’s all this? Dust. Ugh.”

As the door swung open noisily, dust rose into the air, causing a light cough.

“Why would anyone be here?”

“The captain ordered us to search every nook and cranny. We have to at least pretend to be diligent.”

Listening to their chatter, Margaret realized there were two soldiers. The soldiers were kicking boxes and touching items noisily, making the dust even worse. They waved their hands and blinked as they peered around, but they didn’t come any further inside.

“Seems like there’s nothing here.”

“Did you search properly?”

If it were Margaret, she would have examined the footprints on the floor from the beginning, but the soldiers lacked that level of meticulousness. They casually looked around before quickly coming to a conclusion.

“There’s nothing but junk.”

The grumbling of the soldiers faded away again. Soon, the room fell silent. However, Margaret remained still, her hand still covering Ray’s mouth, as she slightly leaned her body to observe the situation. If the soldiers were perceptive, they might notice something odd and come back. Keeping her tension up, Ray sniffled and then coughed lightly in succession. It seemed to be due to the dust. Annoyed by the situation, Margaret removed her hand from his mouth. Her palm felt damp.

“What are you doing?”

“Same thing as before.”

Ray stared at Margaret with his violet eyes and spoke. He didn’t seem to care at all about his earlier rudeness.

“You ran away to help me.”

Since the soldiers had left, there was no need for them to continue facing each other in the cramped space. Yet, Ray’s arms were still tightly wrapped around Margaret.