Villiem had met the Emperor of Decreste only three times in his life. The first time, he was ten years old.
The Emperor had thrown his annual month-long banquet in honor of himself for being awesome. A kid of ten was surely not meant to be in such a scene as the banquet was for a more matured audience.
However, Villiem's father had thought otherwise. To the King of Everflow, ten years was enough for one to be sensible enough to want to explore the world.
Villiem had spotted the Emperor from afar that day. Though he was rumored to be over 400 years old, his heavenly features could be mistaken for a man in his twenties.
The Emperor had the shiniest black hair ten-year-old Villiem had ever seen. His nose was perfectly sculpted. He had olive skin that glistened as though freshly oiled. And his eyes…
Endless whirlpools of deep black. So beautiful and captivating that one couldn't help but drool in lust over.
The Emperor had caught Villiem's eyes on him and then revealed a smile. A smile filled with mischief and the thrill of the unknown. Villiem had turned away immediately and shrunk into himself.
The rest of the night, he didn't dare to look up and search for the Emperor again. But he had concluded that the Emperor was the most breathtaking being in the whole universe.
Villiem's second meeting with the Emperor was a bit more chaotic. He was seventeen years old at that time. A young man who had already grown deep roots in the Decreste Empire.
A certain village had been attacked with a plague and the Emperor had isolated the village with the intent to kill everyone in it.
Villiem had stepped forward and offered to go into the village to find a cure and save them. Other than his assistant, no one in the Empire shared his vision.
The Emperor had refused to permit his request of handing him Imperial Physicians, top alchemists, and abled soldiers to go along with him to save the small village. The Emperor had even refused to grant him permission to go to the village alone himself.
Villiem had camped outside the Dark Palace, the Emperor's personal residence, for a week without food and water in protest. On the eighth day, the Emperor came out of his palace and said to him:
"You may go. I leave the fate of that hell in your hands."
Those were the first words the Emperor had ever said to him. Villiem thought of those words each day when he was in the plagued village.
The third time Villiem met the Emperor was the day of his return from that same plagued village. He had managed to find a cure to the plague and save the village.
His shoulders were raised as he barged into the Dark Palace and demanded the Emperor write him a legal document of his claim to rule over the village.
The Emperor had said that the fate of the village was in his hands. What else did it mean other than he was the owner of it?
There had been a villainous smile on the Emperor's lips as he stamped Villiem's ownership over the village. Villiem could still remember the chills and terror he felt from receiving that smile.
Seven years from that time, Villiem was now going to meet the Emperor of Decreste once again for the fourth time. Of course, it was not a meeting upon invitation.
Villiem carriaged to the Dark Palace at night once he was finally done cleaning his residence and putting everything in place. Upon reaching the Dark Palace, Villiem met with four knights standing guard by the entrance.
"Good evening, sirs." Villiem greeted the knights with a gentle smile on his lips.
Each of them had hostile expressions on their faces as they recognized Villiem. Maybe it was because he was a concubine or maybe it was because he was their master's silent rival or maybe it was because he smiled so harmlessly yet radiated a strong air of confidence, the men looked at him with steady disdain.
Felix, always found to be behind Villiem, was ordered not to make a sound or move unless ordered to before they arrived here. Which was why he could only tightly grip the handle of the sword by his waist and not put it to use.
"I take it that His Majesty is in, right? This is my first day as a member of the Royal Harem and I was hoping to speak with him before it ends."
Villiem spoke with a humble and delightful tone.
"His Majesty will request for you if he wants to speak with you." One of the knights said.
"Oh, I understand. I just want to speak with His Majesty. I'll be very quick. There are some things I'd like to draw his attention to." Villiem said.
"Write a letter and have it posted to the Dark Palace."
Villiem's brows furrowed.
Writing a letter was no issue. Posting it directly to the Dark Palace would mean that it would get lumped with the thousands of letters citizens posted to the Emperor on a daily basis that always ended up getting piled up and burned.
"I don't believe there is any need for a letter. His Majesty is just inside. I will go in very quickly and—"
"I'll have to ask you to leave the premises this instant."
A staff was outstretched in front of Villiem the moment he took a step forward.
His smile faltered.
"Honorable knights, I only want to speak with His Majesty. I believe I have the right to do so—"
"If His Majesty wants to speak with you, he will. As a concubine, you must remain in your own palace unless summoned to the Dark Palace."
Oh…
Villiem facepalmed himself and let out a laugh. He'd forgotten. He'd come here as a concubine. What was he doing trying to meet with the Emperor directly when he was just a concubine??
"... You're right." Villiem smiled with his full set of teeth. "I shall return to the Stone Palace right now. Sorry for the bother. I'll go write a letter."
Villiem's face was pale as he turned around and gestured for Felix to follow him. It was clear that he wouldn't be talking to the Emperor anytime soon.
Villiem thought that it would be better to do what he came here for right away. At least, that would give him some purpose for the meantime.