“I understand Miss Selina’s intention well. I’ll take it as a refusal.”

It was doubtful whether the mud stains would wash out of the cloth.

Considering the difficulty the laundry staff would face, perhaps, as Selina suggested, it should be used for cleaning the floors of the Empress’s palace. However, since the cloth was a gift, it couldn’t be carelessly used for such rough purposes.

Selina, unmindful of Iliad’s feelings, bit her lip and made a perfunctory bow before swiftly leaving.

‘She’s heading to the Emperor’s palace.’

Undoubtedly, Selina would exaggerate Rivel’s rudeness, possibly amplifying it several times over.

What would Claudius’s reaction be? Perhaps he would invoke the august authority of the holy royal family of Astrid to punish the disrespectful mercenary.

What was he thinking, provoking the Emperor’s mistress like that? Iliad began meticulously considering all possible outcomes to resolve the forthcoming issues.

Rivel picked up the cloth Selina had thrown away. Though covered in dirt, the delicately woven fabric still maintained its fine quality. The soft cloth brushed against his rough hands, leaving a dissonant sensation.

“Do you not favor light colors?”

Iliad’s headache, which had been approaching, vanished at Rivel’s sudden question. Surprised, she looked at him for his intent, but Rivel continued to gaze at the cloth in his hand.

“Since a certain time, I’ve come to avoid them.”

Specifically, since her family was annihilated. Since that day, Iliad’s life had been marked by mourning and grief, leaving her only in black mourning clothes.

Those watching felt pity for Empress Iliad, while some criticized her for remaining in sorrow for too long.

But there is no measure to mourning. Iliad had vowed to remember the deceased for the rest of her life.

Being from the treacherously labeled Melfiram family, she couldn’t properly mourn them. Her only act of remembrance was wearing dark, somber clothes.

Rivel briefly lifted the unstained part of the white cloth. His action contrasted with how he had thrown it at Selina earlier.

Not daring to present the dirt-stained cloth to the Empress, he could only imagine her in white from a distance.

It seemed like it would suit her well. The dark green dress she was currently wearing harmonized with her clear eyes, but bright colors would also shine brilliantly with her silver hair.

A hint of life flickered in Rivel’s eyes as he imagined the Empress in front of him.

“Rivel.”

Iliad’s call ended with a barely perceptible sigh. Rivel jerked to attention, tensing at her word like a large black dog understanding its master’s voice.

Iliad remained expressionless. No irritation, anger, or even sadness was visible on her blank face. Her pale complexion seemed more likely to descend into sorrow than rise into a smile.

“Be mindful of your behavior in the future. The woman you just confronted is also nobility, soon to be appointed as Empress. Given her favor with the Emperor, your actions could bring harm to yourself.”

“Are you concerned for me?”

“It’s not concern but…”

Iliad looked up at him, feeling frustrated. In that moment, their eyes met. The cool, hardened expression that had been there just a moment ago was gone, almost as if he was smiling.

“I apologize, Empress. A lowly one like me has shamefully acted out in front of the noble people.”

“It’s not about your status.”
This was sincere. Iliad firmly drew a line. Had she been concerned about social status, she would have made Rivel kneel right there. Her soft voice gently flowed into Rivel’s ears.

“In the palace, even minor actions and words can be greatly exaggerated. As this place is the royal palace, everyone strictly adheres to etiquette based on social status. Please keep this in mind.”

How could he be brought into the palace? To avoid being noticed by Claudius, Rivel had not hesitated to disguise himself and had even stayed up nights. He couldn’t afford to waste this hard-earned opportunity over something so trivial.

Rivel, whose eyes had softened, bowed his head forward.

“I’ll be careful.”

“And… thank you.”

Iliad’s gratitude was barely audible. Had he not intervened, the dispute between Rinette and Selina could have escalated, possibly resulting in hardship for Rinette.

At best, it would have led to a pay cut. It was hard to predict how Iliad would have reacted to aggravating the Emperor’s favored ‘shadow’.

Thanks to the fearless mercenary, the frustration in Iliad’s heart was somewhat relieved. She approached Rivel, still holding the cloth in his hand.

Seeing the stained cloth made her feel slightly sad. Though she thought she had no regrets about gifting it to Selina, apparently, that wasn’t the case.

She had thought she was used to suppressing and ignoring her feelings, but as time passed, they lingered in a corner of her heart, continuously tormenting her.

“It was quite a difficult situation…”

Iliad’s voice trailed off. Rivel, who had been listening quietly, finally relaxed his grip on the cloth.

When scheming men desperately battle for her favor in the male harem

This one’s also on my reread list! The rivalry, scheming between the men in the imperial harem are just as intense and thrilling as in classic palace drama novels, where concubines fight to the death. Give it a read, girls! I promise you won’t be disappointed.

Synopsis:

“I am not worthy of her… but I still want to be by her side, even if only as a loyal dog…”

Those were the painful whispers of Yue Guanyi – the proud Crown Prince of the Great Qi, who was torn between deep love and a guilty conscience. Despite holding the supreme power of the Imperial Guard, he still could not forget the dark past when he was sold into a brothel.

Fate played a cruel twist when Qiu Shuzhi – a young female official who had just passed the imperial examinations with top honors – stepped into his life. She did not know that she was the one who had saved him from a tragic fate many years ago. And now, her heart was the target of pursuit for both Yue Guanyi and the powerful Empress Dowager Qin Qing.

While Yue Guanyi only dared to silently care for and protect the one he loved from afar, the  Empress Dowager Qin Qing openly expressed his feelings and did not hesitate to take advantage of his power to approach Qiu Shuzhi. The covert struggle between the two most powerful forces in the imperial court began…

Trigger warning: All men in this novel are yandere style.

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