Chapter 134: Chapter 134: Lavish Life
Kai spun the rose slowly between his fingers. Nine exhausted men stared at him from their cushions, their eyes burning with a potent mix of envy and genuine terror.
Sweat dripped from their chins, but Kai remained perfectly cool.
"You earned her favor," the gray-robed attendant stated, her voice echoing in the quiet chamber.
"Our Matriarch took personal notice of your endurance. You’re moving to the inner palace."
Kai didn’t bother offering a grateful smile.
He just slipped the flower stem into his shirt pocket.
Walking behind the attendant felt like descending into a beautifully twisted prison.
Marble corridors stretched for miles, lined with silent female guards holding spears.
Golden chains hung lazily from painted ceilings, serving as a constant, glittering reminder of who owned this city.
Starving male servants dropped to their hands and knees whenever women walked past, keeping their foreheads pressed against cool stone until footsteps faded away completely.
’They treat men like stray dogs in here,’ Kai thought, adjusting his posture to look even more arrogant.
Pushing carved doors open at the end of an isolated hall, the attendant revealed a private suite drenched in luxury.
Crimson silk sheets covered a sprawling mattress, and a sunken bathing pool bubbled gently in the corner.
Double glass doors opened onto a wide balcony overlooking lush royal gardens.
"Bathe," the attendant ordered, turning on her heel.
"Your new clothes are on the bed."
Three female servants entered a few minutes later carrying trays of roasted meat and spiced wine.
They kept their heads bowed, but their eyes constantly darted toward his chest. Nobody sent a single male servant to wait on him, ensuring he was surrounded by women.
Kai stripped off his ruined shirt right in front of them, enjoying the sharp intake of breath coming from the youngest maid when she saw his hardened muscles.
He stepped into the warm bathing pool without an ounce of shame.
Weaponizing their lust was just another tactic in his arsenal, and letting them stare at his wet skin guaranteed they would talk to the other guards.
Evening shadows stretched across the marble floor when a soft knock interrupted his quiet dinner.
Kai opened the door to find four high-ranking noblewomen standing in the hallway, carrying crystal decanters of expensive wine.
They wore revealing silk gowns that left practically nothing to the imagination, their bodies spilling out of the expensive fabric.
"We wanted to welcome our new favorite," a striking woman with braided black hair purred, stepping right past him into his room.
Her friends followed closely behind, giggling and pouring drinks without asking for permission.
They surrounded him like predators, their manicured hands reaching out to trace his biceps and stroke his chest.
"You’re even more beautiful up close," a blonde noblewoman whispered, running her fingers lightly over his stomach.
"I couldn’t look away from you in the courtyard today. You didn’t even sweat."
Kai accepted a cup of wine but kept his expression completely controlled.
"I’m used to the heat."
"I bet you’re used to a lot of things," the braided woman smiled, leaning close enough that her bare breasts brushed against his arm. She tasted his wine before holding the cup to his lips.
"We could show you how the inner court likes to play, Kael. Our Matriarch doesn’t need to know. We know exactly how to treat a strong man who knows how to use his stamina."
Her hand slid lower, brushing dangerously close to his waistband.
Another woman stepped behind him, pressing her chest against his back while kissing his shoulder.
’They’re practically begging for it,’ Kai thought, feeling a frustrated hunger in his core.
He set the cup down and gently grabbed the woman’s wrists, removing her hands from his body with slow precision.
"I’m flattered," Kai said smoothly, leaning down so his lips brushed her ear.
"But I don’t share my time with just anyone, and I prefer to choose my own partners. Have a good night, ladies."
He guided them out the door with firm authority.
They left with flushed cheeks and frustrated sighs, whispering excitedly about his cold rejection.
Spreading those rumors would only make the Matriarch want him more.
Moonlight spilled across the room a few hours later. Kai lay awake on the sheets, listening to the quiet rustle of the garden below.
A soft scrape of leather against stone drew his attention to the balcony.
Yena slipped over the marble railing with practiced ease.
She wore her scavenger gear, looking completely out of place in the opulent setting. Her eyes swept the room instantly, checking for traps before she locked onto his face.
"You really like making my life difficult," Yena whispered, stepping into the bedroom.
Kai sat up and offered a genuine smile.
"I figured you’d find a way to scale the outer wall."
"Guards patrol those lower gardens every twenty minutes," Yena stated, crossing her arms defensively. She looked at his bare chest and swallowed hard, her pupils dilating in the dim light.
"You shouldn’t sleep with doors open. Women in this palace are ruthless."
"I can handle a few bored nobles," Kai replied, standing up and closing the distance between them. He reached out and brushed a stray lock of hair from her cheek.
"I missed you."
Yena leaned into his touch for a fleeting second before pulling away.
"Don’t do that. We aren’t safe here. The Matriarch is completely unpredictable, Kai. I heard servants talking. She executes men just for looking at her wrong, and her mind is slipping further away every single day."
"I know exactly what I’m doing," Kai promised, stepping closer until their bodies almost touched.
"I’m playing her game perfectly. She’s interested."
"Just promise me you won’t do anything stupid," Yena sighed, looking up at his lips with obvious longing.
"I’m always careful," Kai murmured, leaning down to steal a quick kiss.
She kissed him back fiercely, tasting like air and raw anxiety. Her hands gripped his waist tightly, pulling his hips against hers, but she broke away before the fire could really start.
She knew staying too long would get them both killed. Yena slipped back out onto the balcony, disappearing over the edge into the shadowed gardens.
