Chapter 2
"Your Majesty, Sarah seems oddly familiar to me. How about inviting her over to my palace for a chat?" I suggested.
Wesley found the whole thing pretty entertaining.
"Nicola, if you like her, take her with you," he replied.
His tone was so casual, like he was just tossing something aside, but to Sarah, it felt like a punch to the gut.
"You tyrant! You are bad! You promised that if I followed you into the palace, you'd spare my father and brother.
"And now, so soon, you're tossing me aside like I mean nothing?"
She shot me a glare after saying that.
"What Grand Protector General? Please, she's just another jealous woman in the harem, fighting for the emperor's favor. She obviously hates me for being young and pretty, and now she's looking for a chance to get back at me."
So this was how she twisted my kindness. It turned it into something ugly in her mind.
I lowered my gaze, hiding the flicker of disappointment in my eyes.
That was her problem, not mine.
Wesley didn't even spare me a glance, just kept teasing the girl.
"Oh? If you don't want to go, that's fine. Just be a good girl and call me Your Majesty," he said.
When was Wesley, always ruthless and decisive, ever humbled himself like this?
All this, just so she'd willingly call him "Your Majesty."
Suddenly, the system chimed in, sounding excited in my head.
[Host, looks like the tyrant cares about this girl. This could be our chance to finally get out of here.]
I tried to pull out a smile, but my lips barely moved. Just a faint twitch, nothing more.
It'd been so long since I genuinely smiled that it was like my face forgot how to do it.
Could it be that the more Wesley focused on this girl...
Maybe I could finally escape this prison this time?
Her grudging "Your Majesty" actually managed to please the unpredictable emperor.
Wesley picked her up and carried her off, not even bothering to look back.
The next day, there was a new Imperial Lady in the palace.
Just like that, the girl went from being the daughter of a disgraced official to the emperor's newest favorite.
The officials argued endlessly, but it didn't sway Wesley's heart one bit.
Everyone knew it was all just for show. After all, the emperor had done even worse before.
Back when Wesley first ascended the throne, the very first thing he did was barge into the Minister's estate and snatch away his newlywed daughter-in-law.
And that woman? She was none other than the Noble Consort, still reigning as his favorite in the palace.
Since their advice didn't work, the officials turned a blind eye.
She was just a consort with no real backing. Nobody expected her to stir up any trouble.
With the emperor's temper, once he got tired of her, he'd toss her aside in no time.
But who would've thought? Just three days after entering the palace, this Imperial Lady got another promotion.
With a wave of his hand, Wesley not only made her a consort but also bestowed the title "Consort Sanchez" upon her.
The whole harem was raising a ruckus before me, all their complaints directed straight at my face.
"Your Noble Consort, that girl is overstepping. She's just the daughter of a disgraced official. How could she possibly deserve the honorific 'Consort'? You must go and persuade His Majesty to reconsider," one of them said.
I gave a bitter smile. "If anyone's overstepping, it's me."
Everyone instantly fell silent, suddenly recalling when I first entered the palace, the emperor had insisted on making me his empress.
Making a minister's wife the empress would've been the ultimate scandal. People would laugh about it for generations.
If the Empress Dowager hadn't threatened to end her own life, I'd have been happily enjoying the empress's seat for years already.
Wesley's always been stubborn. Since he couldn't crown me as empress, he left the position vacant.
The empress's seat had stayed empty for five years now.
Thinking of that, all the imperial harem ladies let out a collective sigh.
Lady Guilfoyle bit her lip, speaking up for me. "You're nothing like her, Consort Cannon. You were only ever fierce with His Majesty, but you never picked on us lower-ranked consorts.
"Whenever you saw us struggling, you'd always lend a hand.
"But Consort Sanchez? Back when she was just an Imperial Lady, she actually slapped the Noble Consort's maid right in front of everyone," another consort jumped in, sounding pissed off.
"A woman that arrogant, without a trace of virtue or propriety—how could she possibly be the chief among the four principal consorts?" another consort chimed in, disbelief thick in her voice.
My hand stilled on the kettle, a soft cough slipping from my lips.
Everyone knew that, but...
I sighed. "That's the very temperament His Majesty favors."
As soon as I said that, a shadow fell over their faces, all of them looking resigned.
They knew perfectly well. In the harem, being virtuous or proper meant nothing. The emperor's favor was the only thing that mattered.
Just then, my matron spoke up, her expression completely blank.
"Ladies, it's time. Her Noble Consort Cannon should rest now," she said, her voice flat and emotionless.
Wesley watched me like a hawk. He didn't like me talking to anyone, and even casual conversation with the other consorts was strictly limited by the clock.
Springveil Palace was supposed to be the residence of the emperor's favorite, but in reality, it was nothing more than a gilded cage.
As for Noble Consort Cannon? I was just a golden canary trapped in the emperor's palm.
Once everyone finally cleared out, I was alone.