Your Majesty, I’m Not that Man - Chapter 4. The Tyrant’s Gift (3)

There was no need for anyone to travel all the way to the Emperor’s quarters to deliver updates. One of the Emperor’s attendants came directly to Lavinia’s residence to gather the information. However, the attendant, having heard the report from Lavinia’s maid, looked visibly frustrated as he pressed her for more details.

“Is that really all there is?”

“My lady is so reserved in her words that yes, that’s truly all,” the maid replied calmly.

“Ugh…”

“Wasn’t this to be expected? After only two days together, it would be stranger for her to harbor any strong feelings.”

“Easy for you to say, considering you’re not the one who’ll face His Majesty’s wrath,” the attendant snapped irritably.

The maid, however, remained unfazed, her expression indifferent. She carried herself as though this matter didn’t concern her directly—after all, it had been Philia who asked Lavinia directly, not her.

“Is His Majesty really that smitten with her?” the maid asked, her tone cautious yet curious.

The attendant glared at her sharply.
“Watch your tongue! Who could possibly know what’s in His Majesty’s heart? And if his feelings change, so too will his actions, as they always have.”

“Still, this time His Majesty’s behavior seems unusually clear. Despite his temper, no one was killed after leaving the drawing room, was there?”

“That’s something we can’t be certain of. Our role is to obey the orders of those above us and keep our heads down. His Majesty has explicitly commanded us not to speak of his questions to anyone, and you’d be wise to follow that for your own sake.”

The attendant’s voice was cold and final as he turned on his heel. Knowing the Emperor was likely waiting impatiently, he could afford no further delay.

The maid watched the attendant’s retreating figure with a sour look before heading back to Lavinia’s quarters.

At the very least, she thought, Lavinia is easier to serve than the other concubines.

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“…Is that all? Nothing else?”

At Kassion’s question, the attendant bowed his head as if confessing a grave sin.

“My lady stated that she cannot privately judge Your Majesty and became angry at the suggestion.”

“…”

The attendant’s report boiled down to two points: Lavinia feared the Emperor, and she didn’t believe his favor for her would last.

I see. It makes sense, Kassion thought. I haven’t made my intentions clear enough, and given the rumors about me, her fear is understandable.

Contrary to the attendant’s worries, Kassion didn’t lash out in anger. Instead, he seemed lost in deep thought, as though contemplating a complex puzzle.

She doesn’t seem to hate or loathe me, judging by how she accepts my embrace. But her fear… that needs to be addressed.

He was skilled at intimidating others, but comforting someone was an entirely foreign concept to him. He had never sought anyone’s affection before. There had been a time, long ago, when he had wished for his father’s love, but those memories had faded into a distant past he barely remembered.

“She’s afraid of me… How do I get rid of that fear?” Kassion mused aloud.

The attendant hesitated, considering his answer carefully.
“Your Majesty, it might be best to spend more time with her. If she spends more time in your presence, she may grow more comfortable and less fearful of you.”

Of course, this suggestion assumed Kassion refrained from killing anyone in Lavinia’s presence—a point the attendant wisely left unsaid. Deep down, the attendant doubted Lavinia would ever completely stop fearing the Emperor. After all, even among Kassion’s closest retainers, there were few who weren’t terrified of him. For someone as delicately raised as Lavinia, it was natural to feel uneasy around such a ruler.

“That makes sense. You’re right,” Kassion agreed after a moment of thought.

“If Your Majesty shows her that you cherish her, she will come to understand your goodwill. Once she realizes this, her fear of you may diminish.”

It was a universal truth: people rarely feared those who showed them genuine kindness. Even Kassion, for all his ruthlessness, adhered to this rule. On the first night he spent with Lavinia, her candid words had sparked a sense of goodwill within him. That night, he had tried—by his own standards—to be as considerate as possible.

“My goodwill… Hmm. Which of my palaces has the most beautiful garden?”

***

Despite the maid’s earlier prediction, Kassion did not summon Lavinia that evening. Relieved, Lavinia silently wished that his interest in her would gradually fade. It was a hope she dared not voice aloud, especially with her maids present.

If this were Albert in her place, he would likely have been wandering the harem freely by now. As a swordmaster, Albert wouldn’t have required a guard’s presence, but Lavinia was different. No matter where she went in the harem, she was accompanied by guards, making her feel constantly watched. It was a stark contrast to the freedom she once enjoyed at her father’s duchy.

She avoided strolling during busier hours, wary of running into the Emperor’s male concubines, which might spark gossip. Because of Yanis’s punishment, even the other concubines seemed hesitant to approach her, making it easy for Lavinia to remain alone.

By the fifth day, however, unexpected news arrived: Lavinia’s residence would be moved to a palace outside the harem.

“A palace?” Lavinia asked, incredulous.

“It’s called Hyacinth Palace,” one of the maids explained.

Hyacinth Palace was located south of the Emperor’s main residence. Though smaller in scale, it was renowned for its three exquisite gardens, which showcased the beauty of each season. Historically, it was known as a place where past emperors would invite their empresses to spend private time, as it was closer than the Empress’s official quarters.

Lavinia’s surprise deepened, as this location played a significant role in the original novel. Near the end of the story, Hyacinth Palace was gifted to Albert by Kassion.

“Why am I being moved there?” she asked, bewildered.

“It is His Majesty’s command, my lady,” a maid replied.

According to the maids, Kassion had gifted the entire palace to Lavinia. Of course, “gifted” was a generous term—ultimately, every palace in the imperial grounds belonged to the Emperor, and he could reclaim it at any moment. It was more accurate to say she had been given permission to reside there for the time being.

Even though it was a palace historically used as a “honeymoon suite” by past emperors and empresses, the sudden command to move to Hyacinth Palace left Lavinia bewildered.

“If I refuse, will I bring down his wrath?”

After Kassion’s repeated visits had ceased, Lavinia had thought she might be forgotten. Yet now, out of nowhere, she was being relocated to a palace? The situation seemed increasingly ominous.

“This doesn’t feel right for someone like me,” she muttered.

“What do you mean, my lady? If you’re worried about your status… well, His Majesty will surely elevate it soon,” one of the maids replied.

The implication was clear: Kassion might raise her from concubine to empress. Lavinia, understanding the meaning, turned pale. Becoming Kassion’s empress?

The stakes would change drastically. Escaping as a concubine was difficult enough, but fleeing as an empress would make her a fugitive pursued to the ends of the continent.

“My lady, is something bothering you?” Philia asked, startled by Lavinia’s ashen face.

Lavinia shook her head. She couldn’t afford to voice her thoughts. In this palace, even the walls seemed to have ears.

“I need to escape… and fast!”

“It’s nothing,” Lavinia finally said, brushing off Philia’s concern.

“Let me guide you to your new residence, my lady.”

The relocation had already been meticulously prepared. People from the Wendell Duchy had been consulted, including Lavinia’s former maids and stewards, to determine her preferences. Hyacinth Palace had been redecorated accordingly. While only minor changes were made—new furniture, curtains, and carpets—the space exuded a refreshed and personalized atmosphere.

Philia, who had overseen the preparations in advance, felt confident that Lavinia would like the palace. The colors, patterns, and designs reflected Lavinia’s taste, gleaned from her belongings brought to the imperial palace.

However, Lavinia’s reaction to the news that Kassion had gifted her the palace was anything but pleased. Her expression darkened, and the maids anxiously watched her, their worry growing.

As Lavinia made her way to Hyacinth Palace, flanked by her maids, her passage didn’t go unnoticed. The male concubines of the harem watched from a distance, murmuring amongst themselves.

“Look at her face. She was gifted an entire palace, yet she looks miserable,” one of them sneered.

“Exactly… What’s her problem?”

The news that the princess, once destined to be empress, had been demoted to concubine had been a hot topic among the male concubines. Many of them, for their own reasons, resented the idea of the Emperor marrying. Some harbored romantic feelings for Kassion, while others hoped to secure his exclusive favor for themselves.

Among them, however, was Iperion, who stood apart from either faction.

A prince of a fallen kingdom, Iperion had become Kassion’s concubine to save his people. Though a man, he didn’t mind being embraced by another man. Kassion, in his view, was an excellent partner in bed, and life in the harem wasn’t bad.

Still, he couldn’t escape the ridicule and scorn that came with his position, his honor as a man dragged through the dirt. To make matters worse, he had learned—too late—that the people he had sought to protect had deceived him.

Because of this, Iperion no longer felt attached to the harem. He remained largely because Kassion placed few restrictions on him. As a mage, he planned to leave the harem the moment Kassion lost interest in him.

“She looks like she’s being forced into something she absolutely doesn’t want,” Iperion murmured, observing Lavinia from a distance.

Due to his relative freedom, Iperion had access to a wealth of information within the harem. He had learned about Lavinia, including the fact that she had been intended as empress but had instead chosen to become a concubine.

“Does she truly wish to avoid being near Kassion?”

Though he didn’t know much about her, Lavinia’s current expression suggested fear—fear of something or someone.

“Interesting…”

Iperion’s gaze lingered on Lavinia’s retreating figure, his curiosity piqued.

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The Hyacinth Palace was even more beautiful than described in the novel. The palace, a soft rosy-white structure, was intricately carved both inside and out. Countless floral patterns adorned the interior walls, and even the floor tiles were a translucent pale pink, giving the illusion of walking on rose petals.

There were eight fountains that sparkled beautifully in the sunlight, and the palace even featured hot springs that utilized water drawn from underground.
To add to her shock, Lavinia found the palace furnished and decorated entirely to her taste.

“Lady Lavinia.”

What was worst of all, however, was that the maids and attendants from the duke’s residence—those Lavinia had painstakingly sent away—had come to the Hyacinth Palace. Cassion had gone out of his way to arrange this, but from Lavinia’s perspective, it was nothing short of a lightning bolt out of the blue.

“Why are you all… here?!”

Far from being pleased, Lavinia turned pale and shouted in anger, leaving the imperial palace maids bewildered.

“Lady Lavinia, do you not like this arrangement?”

“Get them out of here!!”

Lavinia’s sharp tone even surprised the maids who had been closest to her. When they parted ways at the duke’s residence, Lavinia had generously given them jewelry and a significant amount of money to return to their hometowns and live comfortably.

“Lady Lavinia, what’s wrong?”

“Did we do something wrong…?”

“I don’t want to hear it! Get them out, immediately!!!”

If they stayed, their very presence would ensure she couldn’t escape the palace—she’d be too worried about their safety.

Although they had been brought there to cater to Lavinia’s preferences, seeing her so adamantly reject them left no choice. The palace steward quickly dismissed the former maids and attendants from the duke’s residence. Despite the favorable conditions they had been offered, their former mistress’s refusal meant they were unceremoniously sent away.

Some felt hurt, believing Lavinia had changed, while others were uneasy, sensing something was amiss. After all, Lavinia had cherished these people enough to ensure they left the duke’s residence. She’d once said it was because she feared Wendell, the duke, wouldn’t take care of them in her absence…

“Could the lady be harboring some dark thoughts?”

Although they were worried, they had no way to help Lavinia now.

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