I Became the Emperor’s Sleeping Pill - Chapter 4

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The Emperor’s aide, Zerga, the strategist and devoted supporter of the female lead, was also incredibly handsome.

‘No,’ she thought, ‘perhaps “beautiful” is a better word.’

His beauty was so captivating that Lysei was seized by the urge to see him unclothed. Behind Zerga stood a man clad entirely in black, his face strikingly handsome as well. With his dark hair, dark eyes, and intensely alluring presence, he seemed to be the Emperor’s knight—the ‘v*rgin male lead’ who loves the heroine, gives her his first time, yet quietly steps aside when she falls for the Emperor.

“The badger-faced Baron has a rather appealing daughter, I see.” Even the Duke, the Emperor’s friend who imprisons the heroine and displays an obsessive infatuation with her, was devastatingly s3xy.

‘Of course, I don’t appreciate that yellow sprout downplaying her lovely appearance with such faint praise.’

‘Well, well,’ Lysei mused, a subtle tremor at the corner of her lips. ‘It seems life in the palace will be more enjoyable than I anticipated.’

The original plot and all its intricacies were fading from her mind, replaced by a burgeoning desire to experience these exquisite beings. And so, she decided. Since she was already in the palace, armed with the trump card of the Emperor’s mother’s urn, she would stay for a while, sample the male leads before the heroine could, and then depart.

‘It wouldn’t be too greedy to have them just once each, would it? Since I’ve become a Nyxna, I’ll inevitably end up with the Emperor anyway. And it’s not as if the other sub-male leads will be diminished by a single encounter.’

The Empress, constantly scheming to kill Nyxna, was a slight concern. ‘But,’ she thought, ‘I could simply win her over to my side first.’ After all, the Empress tormented the Nyxnas because they entered the Emperor’s bedchamber, a place forbidden to her.

‘A few well-placed words of reassurance should easily deflect her sharp gaze.’

After the introductions, Lysei followed the palace steward to the second floor of the main palace where the Nyxnas resided. The aide opened the door to her assigned room, but she walked past him, already taking in the luxurious bed and furnishings. The spacious room, reminiscent of an extravagant hotel suite, made her inwardly cheer. ‘If only there was a pool, this would be a perfect staycation.’ But she was unaware of the immense storm brewing on the horizon of her new life as Lysei.

* * *

“So, you are the new Nyxna.” Lysei swallowed hard under the Empress’s piercing gaze. ‘They say looks can kill, and the Empress is a perfect example.’

The Empress’s aura was to be expected, considering she was the story’s ultimate villainess. Still, the knowledge that those eyes were searching for a weakness, an opportunity to destroy her, amplified the fear. But the fear was fleeting. Lysei knew the Empress’s schemes against the Nyxnas and the heroine. There was no need to be afraid.

“Your Imperial Majesty,” she began, unsure of the proper etiquette but forging ahead nonetheless. “I am Lysei Orphe.” She grasped the cumbersome skirt in both hands, spreading it wide as she bowed deeply. The Empress then bade her rise. Relieved that she had seemingly navigated the greeting without error, Lysei lifted her head, only to meet the Empress’s gaze directly.

‘Was eye contact permissible?’ she wondered, quickly lowering her head again. The Empress spoke, “I heard His Majesty slept for half a day, thanks to your scent.”

“I am humbled.”

“You are aware that a Beta cannot bear His Majesty’s child.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“And you are also aware that during His Majesty’s rut, even a Beta can conceive.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Do you know when His Majesty’s rut occurs?” Lysei flinched slightly at the question. As in the original story, the Empress was worried about the minuscule possibility of a Beta conceiving during the Emperor’s rut, given his status as an ultra-dominant Alpha.

‘This makes things easier,’ Lysei thought, a faint smile playing on her lips.

“I do not,” she replied. “However, I wish to avoid that period and have already informed the aide.”

“Informed him?”

“Out of respect, I believe it improper for a Nyxna to bear His Majesty’s child. To avoid any such misstep, I submitted a proposal to His Majesty’s aide requesting to reside in the detached palace during his rut.” The Empress’s expression softened, a subtle shift that Lysei didn’t miss. Seizing the opportunity to further ingratiate herself, she continued quickly, “I intend to dedicate myself solely to my duties, ensuring His Majesty’s restful sleep until my services are no longer required. I also included in my proposal my wish to leave the palace upon the arrival of the next Nyxna.”

The Empress’s face blossomed into a genuine smile at the assurance that Lysei harbored no ulterior motives toward the Emperor and would readily depart.

“I find this Nyxna quite agreeable,” she declared. The words Lysei longed to hear finally came. Inwardly, she rejoiced.

“From this day forward, you will attend His Majesty in his bedchamber. Ensure he enjoys a peaceful night. Devote yourself to this task with utmost sincerity.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”