Your Majesty, I’m Not that Man - Chapter 2: Not the Second Wife, but the Mistress? (4)

Zelenka, acting as though she were the one most deeply wounded, didn’t return to the ducal estate for several days. Maxim, too, had retreated to the countryside villa where Hans had been sent.

Levinia felt a twinge of disappointment but ultimately decided to view their absence as a stroke of luck. With both of them gone, it was far easier to quietly send away the people she cared about.

She gave money to five of her closest maids and arranged for them to leave the estate. For the younger servants or those who couldn’t manage without work, she secured positions for them in other noble households.

To those who remained, Levinia discreetly handed over small fortunes—enough to help them survive even if they had to leave the Wendell estate suddenly. She wished she could hint at her plans to flee, but doing so would risk exposing everything. She cared too much for their safety to let her life hang on the emperor’s whims.

As Levinia worked to settle her affairs, the three weeks flew by in an instant. With the wedding dress she’d ordered now canceled, she reluctantly chose an old dress she disliked. It was a gift from Zelenka—one that clashed with Levinia’s hair color so terribly that she had never worn it before.

“They’re late,” Maggie said anxiously, glancing repeatedly at the front gates of the ducal estate.

The imperial carriage, sent to escort Levinia to the palace, had already arrived. Still, neither Maxim nor Zelenka had returned to see her off.

Levinia cast a glance toward the imperial entourage. The carriage was grand, flanked by a coachman, an attendant, and six imperial guards as escorts.

“…I think it’s time we leave,” Levinia said quietly.

“But, my lady…” Maggie began, her voice trembling.

This might be the last chance to say goodbye. But Levinia had no desire to share this moment with those two. Forcing a smile, she looked at Maggie.

“I’ll find my happiness, Maggie. You must live well in your hometown too.”

“Of course, my lady. You will be happy—without a doubt,” Maggie said, tears welling in her eyes.

“Mm-hmm,” Levinia murmured.

She leaned in to kiss Maggie’s cheek, receiving a kiss in return. Her luggage had already been sent ahead to the palace, so there was nothing left to carry.

A footman opened the carriage door, and one of the imperial guards extended a hand to help her in.

The sound of another carriage approaching made her turn, but it wasn’t Maxim or Zelenka. Instead, it was one of the maids Levinia had already sent away, who had come to bid her farewell.

Levinia hugged her as well, exchanging soft goodbyes, before stepping into the imperial carriage. Waiting for those who refused to show up was always the worst option, she reminded herself.

“I just want to leave this empire as soon as possible.”

That’s when her real life would begin. Levinia made that vow to herself as she looked out at the people gathered at the gates to see her off.

She studied their faces, taking in their expressions, burning the sight of them into her memory so she would never forget them. For a long moment, Levinia didn’t look away.

＊ ＊ ＊

The carriage carrying Levinia passed through the imperial palace gates and made its way toward the emperor’s harem, where the concubines resided.

The harem was a peculiar place, housing no fewer than 38 male concubines. At its peak, the number had been far greater, but many had been executed or maimed and cast out by the emperor. Currently, the harem also included only two women: a young lady from the frontier gifted as tribute and a princess from a minor kingdom sent as part of a diplomatic offering.

The layout of the palace was clear: the emperor’s quarters were side by side with the empress’s, while the harem was located behind the empress’s palace. It was a space intended for the emperor but administratively overseen by the empress—a design meant to ensure the emperor wouldn’t frequent the concubines more often than he visited his empress. However, since Adalaxus had no empress at present, the harem had been left effectively unregulated and abandoned.

The design, Levinia noted, seemed futile. Most emperors simply summoned their chosen concubine to their chambers, bypassing the harem entirely.

Levinia’s situation was no exception. Though Cassion had placed her in the harem, he hadn’t scheduled a shared night with her. As a result, Levinia had the entire day and evening to herself to settle into her chambers.

As a concubine of noble birth, Levinia was assigned eight attendants—maids and servants alike. This was a privilege afforded only to women of high rank, such as the daughters of ducal families or foreign royalty. Those of lower status received only half the number of attendants. She was also given two personal guards, with three or four soldiers stationed nearby for added security.

Curious, Levinia took the opportunity to observe whether the rumors she’d heard about the harem were true.

Contrary to her expectations, not everyone in the harem was restricted in their movements. Those brought in as political hostages from other nations were confined to specific areas, but women like Levinia—nobles of the empire or individuals offered as diplomatic gifts—were granted occasional permission to leave the harem.

“Hmm… escaping might be easier than I thought.”

The rumors circulating in high society had mostly concerned foreign royals or nobles brought to the harem against their will. Knowing the emperor’s volatile nature, few nobles within the empire dared to offer their children as concubines.

Despite the arrival of a new addition to the harem, the male concubines showed little interest. Many were under constant surveillance, and some harbored shame at being treated like women due to their position.

What surprised Levinia the most was that the men and women in the harem were housed within the same palace. Though the women were few in number, she hadn’t expected such an arrangement.

“No wonder there are rumors that the emperor isn’t interested in women.”

If Cassion truly thought of the women as his concubines, he wouldn’t have placed them in such close proximity to other men.

“Lady Levinia, we are the maids assigned to serve you from today onward.”

The maids bowed before Levinia, introducing themselves. She gave a slight nod in acknowledgment.

It seemed that the head maid, who likely assumed Levinia had almost been made empress, had chosen skilled and perceptive individuals for her service. Though this was a political marriage, there was still the possibility that Levinia’s status could change depending on the political climate.

The belongings Levinia had sent ahead had already been unpacked and arranged in her chambers. After confirming that everything was in order, she requested dinner.

A servant informed her that the emperor had no plans to summon her that night, which meant she could eat her meal in peace.

Finally, Levinia sat back, allowing herself a brief moment of calm amidst the storm of uncertainties.

＊ ＊ ＊

Was Maxim really so terrified of the emperor?

Hans couldn’t believe it as he recalled how Maxim had sent him away with guards to a countryside villa far from the capital. Not just any countryside, but the outskirts—a remote and nearly forgotten town where the only noteworthy building was the Wendell family’s villa.

Annoyed as he was, Hans decided to lay low for the time being. He worried about Albert but reassured himself that as long as Maxim was on their side, no one would be tracking him.

“He’ll be fine. Albert is a Swordmaster, after all.”

Hans couldn’t help but feel proud of the son he had raised. He may have been hiding away in this secluded villa, but at least he had some peace of mind about Albert’s survival.

There wasn’t much to do in this remote location. Hans’s days consisted of little more than listening to the occasional bit of news trickling in from the capital. The rumors circulating in the town were old and mostly irrelevant—things Hans had already heard before leaving.

A few days later, Maxim suddenly arrived, bringing a group of servants with him.

“She’s not to be the empress… but a concubine?”

Hans suppressed a laugh as he listened to Maxim’s complaints. Though Maxim was speaking as if lamenting the situation, Hans quickly discerned that he was actually relieved.

“That foolish girl. If only she had married Albert in the first place, she wouldn’t have ended up as a concubine to that tyrant.”

Hans remembered vividly how cold Levinia had been after Albert’s letter was discovered. That memory made her misfortune all the sweeter to him.

“…The emperor is too cruel. Levinia must be heartbroken,” Hans said with feigned sympathy.

“Her? She always looks the same, no matter the situation,” Maxim replied dismissively.

It was typical of Maxim. He had never truly cared about Levinia’s feelings, only about whether things went according to his plans. Hans, on the other hand, had a sharper eye for reading Levinia’s emotions than Maxim did, though that wasn’t saying much.

Hans could easily imagine how Levinia would have responded to this situation: calm, composed, and aristocratic, with a face so cold it seemed like not a drop of blood would come out if pricked.

“Three weeks will pass quickly,” Hans said smoothly. “But even so, I’m glad you’ve come to visit me. I know this must be hard for you.”

If it were Hans’s daughter being dragged to the palace as a concubine, he would have stayed by her side. But then again, Hans reflected, if Maxim was willing to hand over his daughter to the son of his mistress, he clearly had no qualms about letting her face such a fate alone.

Oddly enough, Hans felt a flicker of pity for Levinia. He knew well how Zelenka had been blaming Levinia incessantly, lashing out because she couldn’t vent her frustrations on Maxim. Levinia, who as a child had endured her mother’s scorn in silence, had grown so accustomed to the mistreatment that she now faced it with indifference. Perhaps that was why her expression was so unreadable.

“How frightening it is for His Majesty’s whims to change so suddenly… It’s no small matter,” Hans remarked.

Yet, Levinia’s new status as a concubine was advantageous for Hans. As a concubine, Levinia would have no chance of inheriting Wendell’s ducal title. If she had become empress, Maxim might have passed the title to her second child, leaving Hans with no room to maneuver.

“But now things are different…”

There was no evidence to prove that Albert was a commoner. If Hans could persuade Maxim to restore Albert’s status, the door to Wendell’s future could reopen for his son.

“I’ve convinced him once before…”

“Is that why you’ve come to me, Maxim?” Hans continued, his tone dripping with false sincerity. “You must feel so adrift… with no one to truly understand your pain.”

“Hans. As expected, you’re the only one who truly understands me,” Maxim said, embracing Hans as if he had been waiting for this moment.

Watching Maxim cling to him, Hans allowed a triumphant smile to spread across his face.

That wretched girl, Levinia… Whether she ends up dead at the emperor’s hands or rots away in the palace for the rest of her life, it’s no longer my concern.

With Levinia out of the picture, Wendell’s ducal house was effectively within Hans’s grasp. All that remained was to solidify his hold over Maxim, and the future would belong to him—and Albert.

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