The Concubine Does Not Love the Emperor - Chapter 24

“Your skills are quite impressive,” she commented, her words carrying a hint of sarcasm, but Hassan was genuinely impressed. Being the emperor’s first visit, the palace was teeming with concubines vying for the emperor’s attention. They appeared demure as they danced at the banquet. Some would offer coffee and pastries in an attempt to seduce, while others would feign fainting as the Emperor passed by.

Their relentless determination made Hassan involuntarily shake her head. As she escorted the concubines out of the bedroom, she found herself truly curious. Whom would the Emperor call upon tonight? Or would he choose to stay in the harem and visit no one?

Surprisingly, the Emperor called for Huram. Hassan had imagined her own reaction as one of surprise, right up until she stood outside the door, waiting for her turn. But it was her own composure in the face of Huram’s calm demeanor that left her feeling disoriented.

“I can’t help but wonder, Your Majesty, why he would choose me when there are surely others more skilled than I,” she remarked. On the surface, it might seem humble, but in reality, her response was exceedingly arrogant. Her deep, azure eyes met his without a hint of wavering. Among the women in the harem, there were no stories without a past, and Hassan speculated that her own history was far from ordinary.

“After tonight, you may be an entirely different person. Perhaps, starting tomorrow, your true life in the harem will begin,” she mused.

Hassan led her to the bed. It was the most important place within the harem, yet the Emperor had never used it. The guards stationed outside, their spears crossing, made way for Hassan and Margaret, and an elderly eunuch wearing a crimson turban, holding a feathered quill, looked at Hassan.

“Please state your name.”

“I am Huram of the Devran family.”

His tone was more polite than when he addressed Margaret. The eunuch nodded and scribbled something with his quill. Seeing this, Hassan turned and left, muttering to herself, “May fortune favor you.”

“Huram, please enter!” The voice sounded harsh, and the eunuch turned the doorknob, ushering her inside. Margaret clutched her cloak even tighter. There was no room for error. She had to capture the Emperor’s heart in one fell swoop.

“For starters, don’t bow your head,” he told her.

As Margaret had been taught, she lowered her head and approached the bed with small, measured steps. The red silk bedspread was adorned with intricate gold patterns, and the room carried an air of anticipation.

“He’s watching me,” she thought to herself.

Kneeling on the yellow and purple cushions, she slowly prostrated herself. Her body trembled involuntarily with excitement and nervousness. She had to remain composed; otherwise, the Emperor might end their encounter without seeing her face.

The Emperor circled her like a predator stalking its prey. It appeared he was more cautious than she had expected. Margaret, who had been anxiously chewing her lip, finally loosened the ties of her cloak, ensuring it fell gracefully to the ground so as not to appear overly eager. As the fabric flowed down around her, she raised her voice in a soft, trembling tone.

“Huram, I am honored to meet Your Majesty.”

She swallowed a dry gulp. The Emperor, who had been pacing, approached her. Velvet shoes suddenly came into view.

“Has Mustafa, the Crown Prince, sent you?”

A calm and low voice resonated from above. Her suspicions had been confirmed. The reason the Emperor had come to the harem was because of her. If the Crown Prince had planted a concubine in his mansion, he would have likely noticed her presence by now.

Feeling relieved that her first move had been successful, Margaret replied with a light tone, “Yes, that’s correct.”

The Emperor’s gaze traveled slowly from end to end, his footsteps seeming somewhat restless.

“You are from the Devran family.”

“My paternal cousin is Your Highness’s paternal cousin.”

She had memorized this line for an occasion like this. Carefully and slowly, she responded to ensure her words didn’t falter.

“Isn’t that just a distant relative?”

“A somewhat distant cousin, you could say.”

A brief silence settled in.

“You entered in the name of Mustafa, the Crown Prince.”

“Because the Crown Prince dedicated me to Kadima.”

“The Crown Prince doesn’t make dedications.”

“But it was accepted by the Queen.”

The conversation went back and forth, but it didn’t feel like a conversation. The questions felt more like an interrogation. There were no inquiries about her hometown or her age. With each question she answered, Margaret’s discomfort grew. The more she spoke, the more an underlying unease crept over her.

“Is Mustafa doing well?”

“If you’re asking if he’s alive, he is. But if you’re asking about his daily well-being, no, he’s not.”

Margaret subtly tested the waters, hoping that the Emperor would ask why the Crown Prince wasn’t faring well in his daily life. But instead, the Emperor merely sighed. Was this the end?

“Even a light touch would allow the applied perfume to take effect,” she thought, having applied the fragrance like a drug. Whether he liked it or not, he couldn’t avoid breathing it in. While she didn’t have an overwhelming urge to overpower the Emperor, her nipples had stiffened, and the area below had become moist. This was proof that the fragrance was having an effect. Margaret hoped that the scent would permeate the air and influence the Emperor in some way.

After a long silence, the Emperor finally spoke.

“My mother named you Huram, didn’t she?”

“Yes…”

There was no hint of curiosity in his seemingly indifferent words. It was surprising to find such a nonchalant man in front of a nearly naked woman. Margaret pondered whether the rumors about the Emperor’s preference for men were indeed true. Perhaps he sought out men not out of simple pleasure but because he didn’t feel any desire for women.

“If that’s the case, it might explain why the Emperor doesn’t visit the harem. He doesn’t want an heir to be seen,” she thought.

The situation was frustrating. The Emperor remained silent, and Margaret couldn’t read his thoughts without seeing his face. Her body had become as stiff as a rock, and the sensation in her legs was gradually fading. Her restlessness intensified as time passed. She even considered the extreme idea of using force to gain control over the Emperor. Perhaps the fragrance not only inflamed the body but clouded the mind as well.

“Lift your head. I want to see your face.”

When Margaret’s patience had reached its limit, the Emperor finally spoke.

“I need to check if you have any scars.”

It seemed the Emperor had mistaken that Huram, the name she used, had scars on her face. Regardless, now that he had asked her to lift her head, she could finally face him.

She slowly raised her head. Smooth and supple calves were visible, followed by a black robe adorned with elaborate gold embroidery. As she raised her head even higher, a strong, muscular chest became visible. Margaret, her lips parting in astonishment, was finally able to look at the Emperor’s face.

“!!!”

“!!!”

The moment their eyes met, time seemed to stand still. It was as though, at this moment, Suleiman couldn’t believe his eyes. The Margaret he had been desperately searching for was gracefully kneeling before him, gazing up politely.

“Is it really her?”

Arched eyebrows resembling new wings and eyes as deep as a lake. Sharp jawline and stubborn lips, Margaret was stunningly beautiful yet carried an air of arrogance.

“But why is her hair a different color?”

Their gazes met, and they shook slightly. Suleiman suddenly recalled the fact that Margaret might have dyed her hair if she had been staying in the harem. The unique and fascinating silver threads of her hair, which looked like unfolded silver threads, were proof of this.

“How insolent.”

The blue eyes shook. She had recognized herself as well. Strangely, a smile escaped Suleiman.

“How dare you look at my face so closely.”

If it had been anyone other than Margaret, they would have humbly lowered their head and apologized. However, instead of prostrating herself, the surprised Kadima staggered and slowly rose from her position. As she straightened her back, Suleiman finally saw her dress, which revealed a chest so alluring that it took his breath away.

“Rey…?”

The voice that had felt unfamiliar when they were conversing earlier suddenly became familiar. Doubts were flooding into his mind as if whispering in his ear.

“Who are you? Who are you? Why are you standing in front of me?”

It seemed she still wasn’t willing to acknowledge the relationship between Rey and Suleiman. Suleiman had initially thought she was perceptive, but perhaps she wasn’t. She had immediately recognized that Huram and Margaret were the same person, but she couldn’t fathom that Rey and Suleiman were the same person. It left him feeling slightly disappointed, but if she didn’t know, he could enlighten her.

“I am Emperor Suleiman. Kadima, prostrate yourself.”

However, the woman didn’t prostrate herself; instead, her eyes narrowed in displeasure. Any doubts she had seemed to vanish. He was right about Margar. Excitement welled up in Suleiman, causing his heart to race. He instinctively pulled her closer.

“You… Your hair color is different.”

Indeed, it appeared her hair was dyed. The woman remained silent. In his embrace, Suleiman caught a faint scent from her, reminiscent of fresh grass and a deep almond fragrance.

“Why are you impersonating the Emperor?”

“Emperor’s impersonation! How blasphemous!”

She continued to look incredulous, and Suleiman found her adorable. He whispered in her ear. Margaret tried to wriggle free, but her resistance only fueled the fiery sensation in his veins.