Men of the Harem (137 Chapters Left to Complete) - Chapter 15
Please say so, please say it’s true! Otherwise, I think I’m going to be absolutely furious.
“…….”
Ranamun remained silent, his face expressionless. Yet Duke Atraxi let out a relieved sigh. Seeing him stay quiet like this meant he must have said something after all.
‘Well, with that temperament, there’s no way he’d stay silent after hearing such rudeness.’
Although he was a prince, he’d soon share the same fate—becoming a concubine. Even if the prospective concubines quarreled among themselves, it was unlikely their feud would escalate into a matter of national importance. Therefore, it was better to assert dominance early on, within acceptable limits—especially for the sake of the future.
Finally arriving at the room’s entrance, Ranamun paused briefly with his hand on the doorknob. After a long silence, he finally spoke.
“The man really is as fox-like as you said, Father.”
“Yes, exactly. That’s why you must be careful, Ranamun.”
“I’ll have him expelled the moment I become Chancellor, so don’t worry.”
Duke Atraxi didn’t know if that was even possible, but he nodded in agreement nonetheless.
“Good. That’s the spirit. But… Ranamun. Are you really not going to tell me what you said to Prince Klein?”
[This is the timeline separator]“An ignorant foreigner? Someone who’ll ruin the country?”
Klein slammed his pillow down and gritted his teeth.
“Where does that arrogant, pathetic little wretch get off…!”
Seeing him fume, the attendant who had accompanied Klein from Carissen since the beginning asked worriedly,
“Did he really say that, Your Highness?”
“Yes. He stared me straight in the eyes and spoke in that annoying voice of his.”
Klein pinned back his perpetually bothersome hair with a clip, then flailed on the bed like a fish, still visibly furious.
“To think I have to live in the same place as that kind of person! That insufferable, arrogant brat!”
The attendant sighed. After just a few exchanged words, he was already throwing such a tantrum—how on earth would he manage to stay quiet for the next six months? Worry already piled up in his heart.
“At least it’s fortunate.”
“Fortunate?! That arrogant jerk insulted me, and you call it fortunate?! He said I’d ruin the country, and that’s fortunate?!”
“You did restrain yourself well, Your Highness.”
“…….”
“If this had happened a month ago, your fist would’ve already flown. The fact you held back shows real maturity.”
Klein sighed and waved his hand dismissively.
“Flattery won’t work.”
It wasn’t flattery—it was genuine relief—but the attendant fell silent, embarrassed. He couldn’t very well say aloud in front of Klein how anxious he’d been the entire journey from Carissen, dreading when Klein’s infamous temper would finally snap.
“Since you’ll be sharing the harem, at least your rooms will be separate. I’ll inform the Chief Attendant there was a minor incident today between Lord Ranamun and Your Highness, and request that your quarters be assigned as far apart as possible.”
“Fine.”
Klein responded weakly, hugging his pillow and grinding his teeth again.
“That smug little wretch—just you wait. The moment I become Chancellor, I’ll strip him bare and throw him out completely naked.”
[This is the timeline separator]At that very moment, while both Klein and Ranamun braced themselves for similar futures, Captain Sarnet—having received La Til’s secret order to investigate the letter thief—had arrived in Meloshi, where his father served as lord.
During the six months Prince Tulla had illegally occupied the palace, La Til had stayed within the Meloshi domain, specifically to verify whether any letters had gone missing during that period.
“You mean letters written and sent by horse from mid-515 onward, correct?”
“Yes. Letters addressed to Her Imperial Majesty—the Crown Princess Latrasil at the time.”
An official who worked in the palace brought out a large chest and meticulous ledgers, checked through them thoroughly, and then spoke.
“Let’s see… There were 321 letters delivered to Her Majesty Latrasil, and 125 letters that were ‘censored.’”
“Censored?”
“Yes. The censored ones were letters without important seals. Official letters—including those bearing foreign royal or national seals—were not censored.”
“Who performed the censorship?”
“I did.”
The official raised his hand sheepishly.
“Of course, I obtained prior permission for this portion.”
“What was the content like?”
“Just in case, I only censored minimally. All the letters I didn’t forward to Your Highness—I mean, Your Majesty—were insulting letters sent by supporters of Prince Tulla. I couldn’t possibly deliver such things for Your Majesty to read.”
The official walked over to another compartment and returned with a thick file.
“Most of those who sent such letters used pseudonyms or remained anonymous, though occasionally some madmen boldly signed their real names. Regardless, we launched investigations into everyone who sent such letters—anonymous or not.”
Inside the file were lists of letter senders, the letters themselves, and investigation records. The occasional blank space suggested the cases were not yet fully concluded.
Sarnet closed the file and gave his instructions.
“This likely isn’t all 125 letters. Bring to my room all 125 censored letters, the list of suspected senders, investigation logs, related ledgers, and documentation for all 321 letters that were delivered uncensored.”
Taking only the file and chest he already held, Sarnet ascended from the cellar. Just as he was about to head to his room, Lord Meloshi called out to him.
“Captain Sarnet.”
Sarnet turned around to see Lord Meloshi approaching with a serious expression.
“Do you have a moment?”
Sarnet nodded.
“Yes. What is it, Father?”
“…It’s somewhat personal.”
“That’s fine.”
Even though Sarnet said it was fine, Lord Meloshi hesitated and stammered, unable to speak right away. But as Sarnet waited patiently, Meloshi finally managed to speak.
“Captain Sarnet… Haven’t you always held affection for Her Majesty?”
Sarnet’s expression hardened like stone—clearly, he hadn’t expected his father to bring this up.
“Soon, Her Majesty’s official concubines will arrive and receive Her favor. As Captain of the Knights, you’ll have to witness this firsthand… Will you be alright?”
Lord Meloshi looked at Sarnet with evident concern. An awkward silence fell between them.
“I…”
Sarnet trailed off, his expression dimming. But what followed was a calm, steady voice.
“I believe love comes in many forms.”
“…….”
“I don’t wish to be the man who brings Her Majesty joy, but the one who brings her peace.”
He lifted the corners of his mouth in a faint smile, though his eyes remained gloomy.
“While others remain locked in their chambers, waiting for Her Majesty’s attention, I can stand by Her side and protect her. That’s enough for me. That is my form of love.”
Lord Meloshi opened his mouth but said nothing. Perhaps Sarnet could find contentment in this—happiness in guarding the one he loved. Yet witnessing the Emperor embrace other men would surely bring him pain.
Moreover, five concubines had already been confirmed, and the number was likely to grow.
While those men whispered love beside Empress Latrasil, received her affection, and vied for her favor—could he truly suppress his own love and merely watch from the side?
He could. But it would hurt. Deeply.
Yet what could he say to his son, who had already made up his mind? Lord Meloshi let out a heavy sigh.
“If this is what you wish to do, Captain Sarnet, I cannot interfere or tell you otherwise. I only hope you won’t suffer too much.”
[This is the timeline separator]It was an unusually foggy morning. La Til drifted half-asleep to breakfast, then returned to her room to dress and asked,
“Has Sir Sarnet still not arrived?”
Yumo, holding golden, silver, and red tassels up against La Til’s uniform to decide which to attach, replied casually,
“He’s on vacation, so he’ll come back well-rested. He’s worked so hard after all.”
He wasn’t actually on vacation—he’d gone to Meloshi briefly to carry out La Til’s secret mission.
But La Til simply replied, “Ah, right,” and nodded awkwardly. She felt guilty lying to Yumo, but secrecy was the very nature of secret orders.
She trusted and believed in Yumo, yet secrets were safest when known by as few people as possible.
Moreover, La Til also considered the possibility that the letter thief might be someone extremely close—perhaps even her father or Yumo.
They knew of the relationship between Hyacinth and La Til; they might have hidden the letters “for her own good.”
Regardless of the reason, however, she had indeed lied to Yumo. Feeling awkward, La Til impulsively gave Yumo a tight hug before heading down to the audience chamber.
Captain Sarnet returned around five in the afternoon, just as official duties were nearly finished.
La Til had been in the middle of a meeting with the Ministers of Defense and Finance regarding military matters, so she couldn’t see him immediately.
The two ministers lingered another thirty minutes before finally taking their leave, and only then did La Til summon Captain Sarnet.
“Sir Sarnet!”
As soon as she saw him, La Til beamed and hurried over.
“Was everything resolved well?”
“I’ve brought back a whole load of things to investigate.”
“Nothing difficult happen along the way?”
“It was a bit hard… because I missed you.”
At Captain Sarnet’s teasing remark, La Til giggled and instructed the Chief Attendant to bring “that document.”
“That document?”
“My list of prospective concubines. I’ve chosen all five. I’ll show it to you first.”
La Til walked to the table and sat down, gesturing for Captain Sarnet to take the diagonal seat beside her. When he sat down with a stiff expression, La Til interlaced her fingers and grinned mischievously.
Moments later, the Chief Attendant brought in a thick file and placed it before La Til.
“Oh, Prince Klein isn’t included here—he’s entering through a separate arrangement, not as an applicant.”
La Til explained briefly, then laid out four candidate profiles before Captain Sarnet.
“This one is Ranamun, Duke Atraxi’s eldest son. This other is Gesta, second son of Lord Chancellor. And this is Tasir, heir of Anges Trading Company. Can you guess who the last one is?”
La Til grinned excitedly.
“It’s Calain—the Mercenary King Calain himself.”
“……”
Captain Sarnet looked down at the portraits of these strikingly handsome men, his expression rigid, then let out a short laugh.
“You’ve really picked one of every type.”
“Do you think I chose well?”
“If diversity was your goal, then yes—you chose excellently.”
“Is there not a single one who looks unpleasant? I mean, from a man’s perspective.”
“They’re all unpleasant.”
“…Really?”
That bad? They didn’t seem so terrible to La Til. As she tilted her head, examining the portraits, the Chief Attendant—who had been silently listening—stepped forward and spoke.
“Your Majesty, how about having the concubine candidates enter the palace in ten days? Would that be acceptable?”
“Ten days? Is that enough time?”
Feeling it might be too short, La Til asked. The Chief Attendant replied,
“They’re all staying nearby, having already submitted their documents.”
Without much thought, La Til agreed. Once the Chief Attendant had taken the documents and left, La Til unconsciously kept making and relaxing odd expressions, feeling oddly nervous.
‘Years ago, I dreamed of marrying one man—yet now I’m about to take five men as my concubines…’
That peculiar feeling from the day after her harem declaration washed over her again. La Til absentmindedly bit her lip, then turned to look at Captain Sarnet. As always, he met her gaze with a gentle, light smile.
La Til interlaced her fingers on the table, leaned forward slightly, and teased playfully,
“Sir Sarnet… How do you think Hyacinth is feeling right about now? Has his stomach turned upside down?”
Though it sounded like a joke, beneath it lay genuine sentiment. La Til truly, deeply wished for it—she wanted Hyacinth to be so furious he was on the verge of madness.
Captain Sarnet answered calmly, with quiet certainty,
“Of course.”
“That’s what I thought! Though… sending his own brother makes him seem perfectly sane.”
‘If anything, choosing a madman like that makes him seem not just sane—but rational.’
Yet again, Captain Sarnet replied gently but firmly,
“No. He’s completely lost it.”
He paused for a moment, then added softly,
“I’m certain of it.”
La Til failed to notice the faint sorrow hidden in those words.
“Well then, that’s good.”
La Til exhaled, stared blankly into space for a moment, then sighed once more and stood up.
“But have you eaten dinner yet? If not, let’s eat together.”
[This is the timeline separator]It was just as La Til, accompanied by Captain Sarnet, was walking down the long corridor toward the dining hall.
A knight assigned to monitor Anakcha—former concubine of the Late Emperor and mother of Prince Tulla—rushed urgently toward La Til.
Stopping at an appropriate distance, the knight reported with a weary expression,
“Your Majesty, Lady Anakcha is refusing to eat and demands you come see her.”
Anakcha had been confined to the tower just one week after La Til reclaimed the imperial palace, and La Til hadn’t seen her since. La Til replied curtly,
“If she doesn’t want to eat, then don’t force her.”
As La Til moved to walk past briskly, the knight quickly added,
“It’s been five days. She hasn’t eaten for five days straight.”
Male lead is a Divorced Husband
She said to him: “Tell me, what makes you like me? I’ll change it!”
Liu Changning transmigrated into a female cannon fodder character in a female-dominant novel.
After reading the first half of the novel’s plot, the first thing she did upon transmigration was to divorce the Pan Jinlian-style male protagonist she had just married.
She indulged herself, pretending to be ugly and poor.
But as time passed, the way that man looked at her became more and more unusual…
Liu Changning was dumbfounded: Tell me, what makes you like me? I’ll change!
――
This lifetime, Pei Yuanshao was rejected by the same woman twice!
The first time, she drove him away. Forced by the situation, he endured the waves of anger in his heart, yielding and humbling himself.
That person lay slanted on a rocking chair, her sallow face emotionless: “If you don’t want a divorce, go cook!”
Pei Yuanshao’s face was dark and gloomy: “You!”
The second time, after the crisis in Jinling City was resolved, the new emperor sent someone to pick him up. He turned around, stammering: “I… I have to go. If you keep me…”
That person lay on the kang bed, her back to him, as if she had long anticipated this day, crisp and clear: “Goodbye!”
Pei Yuanshao was so angry his fingers trembled: “You… you!”
The mission of family and country made him restrain himself, averting his eyes and turning to leave this broken household.
Two years later, they met again. Seeing her ethereal face, his body shook like a sieve.
“She was originally a ‘she’!”
At the Qionglin Banquet, the top scholar of the imperial examination, a talented person with exceptional speech and conduct, all the unmarried young gentlemen from aristocratic families looked at her with shy and timid eyes.
The peerless imperial official Pei Yuanshao felt the anger in his heart erupt. He pointed at the woman surrounded by the crowd at the Qionglin Banquet, his thin lips slightly curled: “Little sister, I wants that person to be the wife-master of my Mingde Prince Manor.”
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MANGA DISCUSSION
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Chapter Comments (3)
Such an unpleasant feeling is hovering after this part. I wish for some enjoyable moments soon.
I can’t wait for latil and her son to meet
I can’t wait for latil and her son to meet
Inline Comments (23)
La Til had one foot already in the corridor but turned her head to look back at
Did she just curse the Captain Sarnet to betray her?The sensation of that touch remained vivid—but was it really just a dream? Still
Scary. What is this? Ghost? I don’t think he’s one of the concubine. Either La Til was dreaming or he was a ghost.
Gesta hadn't always been this dense. Back when they were younger, he'd shown fla
On the contrary, Gesta is smart. He chose the style of I’m nice and weak and poor in order to win everyone’s pity.
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Kitsune
How can she be so blind and not see a really worthy man near her?
But.. on the other hand.. he will be out of that crowd for now – an exception.