What was this guy talking about?
“A concubine?”
“Specifically, a ‘contract concubine’.”
A contract concubine?
I stated at him with a frightened expression.
“Stop messing around.”
Just then, the three baby birds flew in the air, standing in front of the man.
No, I was just frowning. I didn’t even let off any killing intent. But for a baby bird, they’re quite big.
The man smiled calmly as he waved his hand in the air.
“It’s okay, go.”
As if they were like well-trained birds, when the man waved his hand, they returned to their original positions. I stood with my arms crossed and shot the man a look and sarcastically said.
“Wouldn’t it be better to look elsewhere if you want a contract concubine?”
“No.”
“Why? Does the Emperor of Seongguk want to eat up an assassin?”
Still the man laughed, but he spoke with a serious expression.
“Because I need a concubine, and the tasks they will need to complete won’t be easy. They have to be strong. That’s why I came to see you. I hear you’re the strongest among all the assassins.”
The man added something else.
“It’d be interesting to be eaten by an assassin.”
I narrowed my eyes.
“…..Keep talking. Does the emperor have far too much energy and has to resort to a woman with good physical strength or…..”
“I have two requests. Find the enemy spies that have hidden themselves inside the Royal Palace. And you’ll spy on those who approach the stupid but favored concubine.”
Expose the enemy spies hiding in the Royal Palace? If that’s the case, can’t he just hire investigators? I opened my mouth sarcastically but swallowed back my words.
…..I see. If the enemy has hidden themselves, it would be much easier for a woman disguised as a concubine to catch them rather than an investigator. In addition, it is necessary to be strong as to be prepared for various emergencies, and the behavioral patterns of the spies will overlap with that of an assassins. That sounds good.
However, unlike his first request, his second request was not easy to grasp. Does he want me to be his spy among his people? And a favored but stupid concubine?
“What do you mean by a stupid yet favored concubine?”
“It is exactly how it sounds. The emperor will pretend to cherish you and be infatuated with you and naturally people will approach you. Report everything about them to me.”
The emperor will pretend to love me? Am I the only one who will be a contract concubine?
“Are you in agreement with the emperor?”
The man raised his eyebrows at my words and for a moment he smiled with a strange expression on his face.
“Ah…..of course. We are in agreement and we have discussed it thoroughly.”
The man didn’t give any other details on how I would become a concubine and how he was able to make such a request. He said he would prepare everything himself, so all I need to do is show up.
I was somewhat reluctant to trust the man. Especially his smile that seemed to be holding back his laughter. However, I valued the money the man had offered me.
I thought about it for a while and asked again.
“Why do I have to be a stupid concubine? Cant I just be a favored concubine?”
A more playful smile formed on the mans mouth.
“Because being stupid is a good bait.”
***
I learned that my client was the emperor during my entrance ceremony which was a prescribed procedure for an official concubine.
The client assigned me one of his ‘baby birds’ that was hidden in the village as my guide and I still didn’t know my clients identity until the entrance ceremony because the explanation he gave me was very limited.
“After you enter the palace, I’ll act as your older brother.”
“But we don’t look alike at all”
“You resemble our mother while I take after our father.”
“Isn’t that too unfair to our mother?”
I’m much prettier than you.
“Hmm?”
“No, how about the family register? Isn’t that important?”
“You don’t have to worry about the paperwork because that’s my job.”
“Okay.”
“You are entering the palace on my recommendation, so be sure to get it right.”
That was all the information I was told. So when I reunited with my client at the concubine entrance ceremony, my mouth was wide with shock and I felt like a fool. Even so, it wasn’t my fault.
The client, who saw me in this ridiculous situation was sitting on the throne crying with laughter.”
“Ohh, just as I’ve heard, she’s a really beautiful younger sister!”
My ‘fake brother’, who was my clients only baby bird I recognized, stood to the right of the emperor and signaled. Start acting! He was not a mere escort, but he was the emperors personal guard.
Oh my. These people…..
I naturally let out a fake laugh.
I thought the person who asked me to become a concubine was a close ally to the emperor. But the emperor himself came to make a request?
The government officials were situated on both sides of my client, who was smiling with outstretched arms at the highest point. My ‘fake brother’ was to the right while another escort was to his left. The last of the three baby birds that visited the village remained hidden.
As I was staring at my client, my fake brother once again sent me a signal.
What are you doing? Act quickly. Don’t you see the signal to star acting?!
‘This isn’t even a spectacle.’
I bit the inside of my cheek to hold in my laughter and lowered my eyes for a moment. I was starting to realize just how ridiculous this situation was starting to become.
I was starting to get a little nervous because I was about to be suddenly pushed onto a big stage with the lead role totally unprepared.
But….. Damn it. I’ve already received the money. I also signed a contract, so let’s do it! 100,000 gold is worth it.
I prepared and pulled myself together before I shouted as loud as I could.
“Ahh, my god. You’re even more handsome than what I have heard from my brother!”
One of my fake brother’s eyebrows, which was watching from, afar sprang up. I twisted my body exaggeratedly while gathering my hands before placing them on my chest.
“Your Majesty’s appearance has caused Yesuh to become momentarily dazed.”
The officials that were standing in reverent positions flinched. I knew for certain that all eyes were on me. I was also supposed to be known as a girl who had received the most attention since birth.
Their eyes were all saying the same thing. What was this woman saying?
I exaggerated my movements while shouting as I began running towards my client, the emperor, ignoring all etiquette and procedures.
“Ah, Your Majesty!”
The imperial archbishop, who was waiting to pray for the livelihood of the palace, became embarrassed and tried to stop me, but the hem of my clothes passed through his fingertips.
I flew towards the emperor with the hope of becoming a butterfly.
“Yesuh, is coming!”
The client, who was convinced he would never be caught off guard by an assassin, was a fool with a terrible acting ability. When he heard my nasally voice and exaggerated acting, he forgot all about the contract and burst out laughing.
“Pfft….. Hahahahaha!”
Damn it.
This was the beginning of my new difficult life as a concubine.
***
A month passed by smoothly.
I used a nasally voice and rubbed my client’s arm in front of people without thinking, and the Emperor, Ahhon, who was busy bursting with laughter at first, was able to adjust to the acting in about four words. Of course, he still couldn’t hold back his laughter if he went over four words.
However, no suspicious movement has been reported to Emperor Ahhon. In addition, Ahhon would visit my place every other day to hear the situation report, but he didn’t seem to expect much. This was an odd commision.
Eventually, one day I couldn’t stand it anymore, so I confessed everything to Myungheon.
“Your emperor is a little strange.”
However, Myungheon’s reaction was aloof.
“Naturally.”
“How? How is that natural? His Majesty visits my room almost every day. Furthermore, we hold hands and walk together every day. Doesn’t it look like we’re on good terms?
“Your relationship looks good.”
“Then why hasn’t anyone approached me!”
The tone of my voice was usual, causing Myungheon to explain with a slight wrinkle on his forehead
“Because you’re still not a favored concubine.”
Not a favored concubine?
“How much prettier do I have to be in order to become a favored concubine?”
“It’s going to have to take more time.”
“Is His Majesty supposed to stay in my room all day? Is His Majesty supposed to devote all his energy on me so people will think ‘Ah! His Majesty really cares about her!’ like that?”
“…..It’ll correct itself over a period of time.”
“Over time?”
It won’t matter if it was all just a short fling, but it depends on how long you have been favored.
“Ah…..”
I pursed my lips.
“So is that the reason why I can’t be titled a favored concubine? Because it has only been a month?”
“That’s right.”
“Ah….. geez. Those bastards, making everything difficult.”
When a questionable word came out of my mouth, Myungheon’s forehead, which wanted to remain neutral, once again wrinkled.
On the outside, Myungheon is the emperor’s personal guard, but he is also the emperor’s shadow along with being my fake brother, so he was both polite and strict.
“Yesuh, you should speak more politely.”
“No. His Majesty has fallen for my unique charm, brother. The moment I speak more politely, my charm will be cut in half.”
“Anyways, I’m very well spoken…..”
I laughed while speaking like a real younger sister. Myungheon clicked his tongue when he realized he couldn’t stop me and raised his teacup to his mouth.
Ever since I arrived at the palace, he would visit me everyday. Sometimes he would come twice a day and click his tongue while drinking tea. The reason was to explain the relationship or situation to various people in case I made a mistake or got caught. Or it was to give a report on what happened to me today.
“Anyways, you won’t be able to catch the attention of a spy or minister after only being favored for a month.”
When Myungheon set down the white teacup, the sound of the wood and porcelain rang pleasantly.
“But there will be people watching, so be careful.”
I grinned when I heard Myungheon’s advice.
“For an assassin, being vigilant is part of everyday life.”
I laughed arrogantly as I made a gesture with my thumb across my neck.
“Don’t worry, if someone makes one wrong move, I’ll kill them immediately.”
“…..Be careful about that. Don’t kill anyone.”
“What? Shouldn’t you be worried about me?”
When I grumbled as if I was dissapointed, Myungheon spoke like I was being unreasonable.
“There is nobody who would be able to harm the world’s strongest assassin.”
***
There was.
Hey, hey, hey! Ouch! Ouch! That hurts! That hurts a lot! OUCH!”
“Concubine! You must endure!”
“Wait, wait, wait!”
I cried but the maids were merciless. Mae-hee grabbed my struggling hand and shouted to the other maids.
“Tie it up!”
I’m sure they’re spies. These kids must’ve realized I’ve been colluding with the emperor.
They must be!
I couldn’t even run away because the maids restrained my hands with theirs and were also pulling my hair. Because this type of hairstyle was said to be popular, I had been waging wars daily ever since I entered the palace.
The maid’s couldn’t understand my words when I told them to ‘just untangle it and then tie it together’.
I tried complaining to Myungheon about this matter, but it was useless.
“A stupid concubine is to unconditionally follow all the latest fashion trends, so accept it. Don’t voice your opinion.”
That is what he said.
What a prejudiced jerk. He spoke like that only because he wasn’t the one suffering. Seriously, I want to pluck out the feathers of this baby bird.”
“It….. Hurts…..”
End of Chapter 2
A big thank you to zoexynyx for helping me translate and edit ♡
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