Chapter 13
Chapter 13
Two esteemed knights pursuing a single slave seemed odd. Lost in thought, Jia cautiously opened the door and called for Tristan.
“Tristan… I have something to discuss.”
“Yes, speak.”
He entered without a word. Jia hesitated for a moment before speaking.
“I’ve been thinking… having both of you accompany me is… burdensome. Is this also His Majesty’s command?”
“No, it is the Straduvan family’s decision.”
A family decision. That meant others besides Tristan were involved.
“Does that include Sir Ethan’s wishes?”
“…No.”
She’d expected as much. “Yes,” Jia replied softly, lowering her head. She had no say in the matter.
“His Majesty has requested your presence in his chambers. As the hour is upon us, I shall escort you.”
“This is the worst,” Jia murmured to herself, glancing at the sunlight filtering through the window.
Alone in the emperor’s vast chamber, Jia couldn’t bring herself to sit on the bed or the long sofa. Instead, she knelt on the floor, gazing at the barred door. The dense, black grid distorted the view beyond. She stared at the warped landscape for a long time, then cleared her mind of its tangled thoughts, simply breathing as she looked.
Here, the sun and moon occupied the sky simultaneously. The sun shone by day, the moon by night, causing light to vanish and darkness to descend in an instant. Even now, as bright as it seemed, darkness would soon fall. The people of Erendia called this time “Mutatio.”
As if on cue, the sunlight faded like a switched-off lamp. Soft moonlight filled the room, dimming the surroundings as the lamps within ignited.
Moments later, the door opened. The emperor entered, clad in blood-soaked hunting attire, followed by two maids. Jia remained kneeling, bowing her head in greeting.
“Yo-Your Majesty…”
“Why are you kneeling?” he asked in a monotone voice. Hearing only curiosity, not displeasure, in his tone, Jia felt slightly reassured.
“I dare not presume to touch anything in Your Majesty’s chambers.”
“You are an exception. You are permitted to sit or lie down as you please.”
“…Thank you.”
Jia cautiously rose, but she didn’t sit or lie down. Like a fish caught on a spear, she stood frozen under the emperor’s gaze.
His dark hunting clothes were drenched in blood; bright droplets stained the white collar in a curved pattern. He stopped the two maids from unbuttoning his coat and gave a slight nod.
The practiced maids understood immediately. With a brief “Yes” and a bow, they backed out of the room. Now, only the two of them remained. His gaze fell upon the crown of her bowed head. Slowly, Jia lifted her face.
As their eyes met, the emperor beckoned her with a gesture. Swallowing hard, Jia approached. The scent of blood intensified with each step. He grasped her shoulder.
“Undress me.”
“Ah…”
Jia bit her lip. She wasn’t familiar with the clothing of this world, especially men’s attire. A few of the gold buttons, arranged in a straight vertical line, were already undone, revealing a glimpse of his Adam’s apple and collarbone. Hesitantly, she touched a button. With a soft click, it came undone, revealing the white dress shirt beneath, also stained with blood.
Click, click, click. With each unfastened button, more of his physique was revealed. Though she had often seen him in loose robes, a strange shiver ran down her spine. It was just undressing him, yet…
The buttons were all undone now. The open coat revealed the blood-soaked, clinging shirt. Unable to continue, Jia glanced up at the emperor.
“Well?”
“…So-Sorry.”
Carefully, Jia took the coat and slipped it off his shoulders. It felt heavy, perhaps from the blood. She was afraid to even touch it.
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