Chapter 9: <Chapter 9>
A sketch artist was brought in.
I explained, “Yes, but a thinner face. A mole on the lower left cheek. Yes, that’s right. He had more wrinkles on his forehead.”
I described the face of my high school teacher from Korea, Bong Manshik. The artist was very good. The final product had a decent resemblance to my old teacher.
I nodded in satisfaction.
“Yes, that’s him. His height was... a little shorter than the emperor and his waist was a bit thicker than that of the chancellor.”
The emperor said as if he was impressed, but I knew he was being sarcastic, “You have such a great memory.”
“You’re too kind. The former emperor is probably helping me even in his death.”
“Thank gods you are safe, my lady. We are very lucky to have you give us such important clues for this unfortunate mystery.”
I smiled blankly. This profile sketch will be sent everywhere in this world. I’m sorry, teacher Manshik, but I’m sure you understand. You took by bread once, and I think this will make us even now.
I hated my teacher when I was at school, but now I missed him. Especially since I was in this horrible situation.
They will never be able to find a man that looked like the sketch unless they went to my world and visited Seoul, Korea. Of course, this was not possible.
I fulfilled my part of the bargain.
I turned to him and looked at him straight in the eyes.
It’s your turn now.
The Emperor picked up the sketch and smiled oddly.
Oh, it was that same smile. The same cruel cold smile I saw in that bedroom. Like a snake.
Did I make the wrong choice?
There was nothing I could do now though. It was done.
The emperor put on the nice-guy expression again. He handed the sketch back to the artist and he walked towards me. He kissed the back of my hand. His lips felt cold against my skin.
My hand trembled. He felt it too.
He looked up at me. His expression was sharp and cold again. It was as if he had two different faces and he had full control over which face he wore. One was that of a generous upstanding young man who grieved over his father’s death. The other was the cold killer who murdered his own father.
He would have been an amazing actor if he was born in my world. Especially since he was so hot.
“I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart. Without your courage, I don’t know what we would have done to avenge my father.”
“...I was only doing my duty.”
My lips felt dry. What will happen now?
He stared at me with a grin. It was an ugly smile.
This was the real him. A cold snake. A murderer.
I was his accomplice.
The emperor called out loudly, “Scribe!”
“Yes!”
A man who was waiting nearby hurried towards us. He brought with him a pen, a piece of paper, and he waited.
The emperor continued to stare at me and put on his fake kind-hearted face. He then announced.
“I appoint lady Sa Bina Des Bonafit as my first wife.”
People around us gasped and exclaimed in horror, “Wife?”
“Did you say wife?!”
“First wife?”
The Empress, I mean, the dowager empress, had the most violent reaction to this announcement. The others seemed shocked while she seemed furious.
The empress grabbed her stomach and stood up. I was worried she might faint.
She yelled hysterically, “How could you take your father the emperor’s own concubine as your wife?! This is madness!” She pointed her manicured finger at me.
I was pretty sure the emperor was indeed mad, but for a different reason.
I remained quiet. My mind raced as I watched the scene.
“...”
If I said one wrong word, I could be executed.
The dowager empress said angrily, “She is only a lowly girl from nowhere! A nobody! How could you appoint her to be the FIRST WIFE? This can’t happen!”
What a rude woman!
However, I didn’t say anything. I remained quiet and looked at the emperor in shock.
why wouldn’t I be shocked? A wife out of blue?
The chancellor stepped forward, “You are incorrect, dowager empress.’
Was it just me or did the old man emphasized the word “dowager?”
The dowager empress replied heatedly, “What did you say, chancellor?”
“I am only giving you the facts, dowager empress.”
He did it again!
I loved the old man’s voice. It sounded smooth yet powerful, especially when he spoke against the dowager empress.
That old man... He was obviously helping the new emperor in the fight against the dowager empress. There must have been a reason for it, other than an obvious one, but I couldn’t figure it out.
He turned to me and asked, “I apologize, but I must ask my lady. The night the emperor was murdered, it was your wedding night, correct?”
I nodded. “That’s correct.”
He nodded as well. “Thank you, and even before you entered the room, the former emperor passed away. According to the law, this means the marriage didn’t take place. We need to also consider the diplomatic side of this situation. The Aeal colony sent us a gift, but before she could be married to the emperor as promised, this unfortunate event occurred. Wouldn’t it be unfair and cruel of us to ask for another girl to be sent since we have a new emperor?”
The “diplomatic gift” the colonies sent were basically female hostages for the emperor to hold and use as he wished. The old man was right. It wouldn’t be right to ask for another.
The dowager empress, however, wouldn’t back down.
“But...! Even if you’re right, how could the son take his father’s woman as his wife?!”
The priestess chimed in this time, “But dowager empress, the marriage hasn’t taken place even in the eyes of our god. So technically, the lady is still single.”
“But!”
The priestess smiled generously. Her smile was so soft and kind, but she gave a powerful aura. Even the dowager empress couldn’t win against her.
“I know what you mean, dowager empress. You are worried the new emperor may get an unpleasant reputation. A scandal may erupt.”
“E, exactly! So...!”
“But you don’t have to worry about that. When the bride or the groom dies before the marriage is consummated, it is not uncommon for the remaining partner to marry another member of the same family.”
The chancellor replied, “That is very true.”
The priestess said firmly, “There is no legal or ethical problem here, and I will help as well. You have nothing to worry about.”
“H... help?” The dowager empress’s voice trembled.
“Yes. I will conduct the wedding myself right here with the blessing of god himself. If we announce how this wedding took place, everything will be alright.”
The chancellor clapped. “That is an excellent idea!”
The dowager empress paled.
Three against one.
It was fun to watch the fight. How interesting!
W, wait. Huh?
They were talking about ME!
I am to marry the new emperor?! How could they decide this without asking me?
‘W, wait a minute?! How did this happen?’
I became speechless. I was soaked in my own sweat.
My heart started to beat fast in fear. The emperor and the dowager empress stared at me intensely.
They were the predators. I was their prey.
A mere mouse.
The dowager empress suddenly said out loud, “I am glad the priestess is willing to do this for the emperor... But there is one thing.” She turned to me and continued, “Shouldn’t we ask the lady for her opinion as well?”
Everyone in the room turned to me.
W, what’s this?
The dowager empress added sharply, “Wouldn’t it be unfair to appoint this lady as the first wife without even asking if she was willing?”
This was ridiculous! When I was first dragged into this castle, I was never asked if I wanted to marry the former emperor. Yet here she was! Why was she pretending to care about my opinion?!
I continued to sweat profusely. Everyone was looking at me intensely.
The dowager empress asked, “Now, answer me. What is your opinion? Do you accept or not?”
I got goosebumps.
The dowager empress was smiling kindly at me, but her words had hidden threats. I could feel my fear rising. It was clear what her message was.
‘If you accept this position, I will kill you.’
Her eyes were on me.
I couldn’t think clearly. I felt like drowning. Intense fear made it hard for me to breath.
Then suddenly, his hand was on my shoulder.
When I looked up, his handsome face filled my eyes. When I first met him, I thought he was an angel, but now, I knew the truth.
He smiled at me warmly. I felt cold.
“I guess I didn’t follow a proper protocol. My mistake.”
“P, pardon?!”
He took my hand and kissed it. His hand was gloved, but it still felt cold.
“I should have proposed to you first. You are so fragile yet so courageous. You have helped me greatly with this investigation. I have fallen in love with you.”
They were such romantic words, but instead of love and happiness, I felt fear and anxiety.
He asked firmly, “Will you be my wife?”
“...”
What should I say?