The Concubine Does Not Love the Emperor - Chapter 36

The next afternoon, Hassan the eunuch arrived holding a silver tray, searching for Margaret.

“Your Majesty’s gifts,” he announced.

“Your Majesty’s… what?” Margaret exclaimed, perplexed, as she eyed the silver tray Hassan held. Resting on the silver tray was a cushion made of crimson velvet, upon which sat a small box, clearly containing something remarkable.

“It’s a jewelry box,” Hassan clarified.

As Margaret approached, Huram smiled and gracefully opened the jewelry box with one hand. Inside was a necklace intricately crafted with diamonds.

Margaret reached out and took hold of the necklace. The small diamonds shimmered as she lifted it, leading up to a large sapphire in the shape of a droplet at the end. Margaret’s eyes widened in astonishment.

“It matches Huram’s eyes! How could such a grand jewel be gifted!” she exclaimed.

“A precious gem sent as tribute from the Haradan region,” Hassan explained.

“Goodness! Sent as a tribute!” Margaret gasped.

Suddenly, Gulle, who had approached unnoticed, clapped her hands in admiration. The necklace was stunning, albeit excessively extravagant. Humming a tune, Gulle draped the necklace around Margaret’s neck. Margaret lightly touched the sapphire with her fingertips. It was too heavy to wear comfortably.

Observing this, Hassen nodded approvingly and raised his hand. Immediately, attendants waiting outside entered, carrying boxes filled with silver coins, specialty items from conquered territories, carpets, and luxurious silk. The room quickly filled with gifts sent by the emperor.

“It seems Her Majesty is pleased! Normally, it’s just a purse of coins!” one attendant remarked.

“To receive such gifts without even bearing a son! Unbelievable,” another chimed in.

As over ten attendants busily arranged the items and left, Gulle and Bahari began joyfully organizing the gifts. Margaret leaned against the doorframe, her arms crossed, watching them. The gifts were all lavish and expensive, reflecting the Emperor’s opulence.

“So, gifts proportionate to the favor granted to the concubine who spent the night with him?” Margaret mused to herself.

Indeed, those gifts were merely tangible expressions of Emperor Suleiman’s sentiments.

Unlike the excited Rem sisters, who eagerly opened the boxes, Margaret found herself gripped by a sense of discomfort. She examined the gifts sent by Suleiman, her emotions were akin to navigating treacherous waters. Her gaze settled on a box filled with silver coins, and as she beheld them, her discomfort took on a tangible form. She understood the source of her unease.

It’s almost like being a prostitute! she thought.

Conversations about prostitutes occasionally circulated within the knights’ circle. They would boast about their experiences, as if sharing some great expertise. Thanks to them, she had inadvertently learned that the price varied for each prostitute. It was absurd to categorize them, but the more upscale the establishment, the higher the price. They even mentioned additional charges for satisfying customers or catering to specific preferences. Margaret couldn’t shake the feeling that her situation was somewhat similar.

She bit her lip, trying not to show her displeasure outwardly.

“No, don’t think negatively. The harem is different from prostitution. Giving gifts after spending a night together is not so different from what a loving wife receives. It’s just that there are several wives, that’s all.”

She tried to convince herself that the cultural and situational differences were significant. After all, she wasn’t the one dealing with multiple partners; it was the emperor.

With that thought, her mood slightly improved.

Margaret recalled the previous night. The emperor, who had engaged in multiple rounds of lovemaking outdoors, returned to the clean bed and held her all night. Despite her stamina, she eventually succumbed to exhaustion and fell into a deep sleep in the early hours of the morning. Upon seeing Suleiman’s still half-erect member, she panicked and fled back to her room. She couldn’t believe there was still a residual effect of arousal. Or perhaps the ointment she had applied to her body was more effective than she had thought.

Regardless, Margaret insisted that Gulle dispose of the remaining ointment. Such items had to be gotten rid of. Gulle protested, lamenting the waste, but upon seeing the marks of their passionate encounter on her body, Margaret remained silent.

Even the thought of going to the main bath was daunting, so Bahari gently wiped her body with a damp towel and massaged her tense muscles. If it weren’t for her, Margaret would have spent the whole day moaning in pain.

Margaret glanced briefly at the mirror. Despite it being summer, she wore a long robe with a high collar to conceal the blush marks on her neck. The woman in the mirror had dark circles under her eyes. She would have looked fresher even after training…

“Gulle, what should we do with this? There’s no more space to put anything,” Bahari interrupted, holding up a box.

Lost in thoughts of their intimate encounter from the previous night, Margaret was startled when she caught Gulle’s eye. He held a long carpet in his arms, nervously scratching his chin.

“Um… well, you see…”

Margaret tapped her temple with her finger, pushing away images of moist lips and flushed ears that flooded her mind one after the other. Outwardly, she appeared to be seriously contemplating. Bahari, who was crouched down sorting things out, offered her opinion.

“What about giving it to a senior concubine?”

“Hmm? A senior concubine?”

“Someone who manages our area. It might come in handy if we ever run into trouble later.”

It was a typically practical suggestion from her, always ready to clean up after any mess.

“But wouldn’t their chambers be no different from ours?” Gulle questioned.

Bahari countered, “Well, they might have their own uses for it. They could sell it for money, or perhaps it would be useful to the physicians or kitchen staff.”

At the mention of it being sold for money, Margaret grabbed Bahari’s hand enthusiastically.

“Yes! Exactly! Brilliant idea!”

Margaret grinned as she looked down at the box filled with silver coins. She had been bothered by the fact that their stipend had been reduced, as the Rem sisters had been quick to point out, but now she felt a sense of satisfaction that things were working out.

“Let’s start by giving silk to the Kadimas and distributing silver coins to the concubines. Your idea about senior concubines and physicians… and the kitchen staff, the attendants too, how about that?”

Margaret’s eyes sparkled as she attempted to retrieve the neatly arranged items, but Gulle quickly intervened.

“Oh, Your Majesty, it’s lovely that you’re so generous, but we don’t have enough to give away everything. Are you aware of how many concubines and Kadimas there are?”

Gulle’s cheeks puffed out like a frog, apparently regretting his previous suggestion, and Bahari also seemed to agree with Gulle’s opinion.

“Then, let’s start with just the Kadimas. That should be fine, right?”

Gulle nodded and agreed to handle those items first before leaving with the carpet. Bahari subtly approached Margaret’s side, seeming to wait until Gulle moved away intentionally.

“Did Your Majesty happen to receive any token of favor last night?” Bahari inquired, her gaze directed downward as if she felt uneasy asking. She had wanted to ask Margaret as soon as she returned to their quarters, but waited, hoping Margaret would bring it up first. However, seeing no sign of it, she couldn’t resist asking.

Knowing that the Rem sisters were equally invested in this matter, Margaret hesitated for a moment, unsure of how to respond. Bahari studied her expression. Margaret bit her lip and paused for a moment, then moistened her lips with her tongue.

“Gulle’s ointment worked. You seemed to like it, too.”

A faint red mark was visible at the collar of her neck. Bahari nodded, glancing at the spot.

“I subtly hinted to His Majesty about what to do with Prince Mustafa, but it seems Your Majesty has no intentions regarding him.”

They had agreed to keep the fact that Suleiman didn’t want a child with her and wanted Mustafa as the next emperor a secret. Once words slipped out, they tended to spread like wildfire, whether carried by a bird or whispered by a mouse.

It would be troublesome if things took a turn for the worse.

“That’s a relief.”

A sense of relief washed over Bahari’s face. A tinge of guilt pricked Margaret’s heart.

“But summoning him to the palace is an entirely different matter. Speaking rashly could be considered treason. So for now, we’ll stay by Your Majesty’s side, slowly persuade His Majesty, or find a way to send you back.”

Bahari’s reasonable response earned a nod of approval.

“You will return to your homeland soon, won’t you?” Bahari asked.

“We need to find a solution first. Once you go back to the mansion and deliver the message, the prince will surely come up with a plan.”

“Of course he will. He’s a clever man.”

Seeing Bahari’s kind smile, Margaret felt a pang in her heart, as if pricked by a needle. But it wasn’t the right time yet. According to the Emperor, there was a reason why he hadn’t summoned Prince Mustafa to the palace.

“Don’t worry too much. I’m just as determined as you are.”

At Margaret’s words, Bahari seemed to remember something and began transferring the silver coins from the box into her pocket.

“Oh my! Pull yourself together. By now, rumors must have spread everywhere. Receiving such gifts, there are bound to be those waiting for news. Your Majesty! I’ll go and distribute the silver coins to the attendants. I’ll also visit the kitchen.”

“Very well. Go ahead.”

Watching Bahari tuck the purse of silver coins into her pocket and leave, Margaret flopped down onto the bed.

When she and Suleiman returned to their quarters last night, the body was nowhere to be found, and there were no traces of blood either. It was a clean job. Altair had done well, considering how nervous he had been.