Your Majesty, I’m Not that Man - Chapter 6: Days and Nights of Bliss II (4)

The maid from Yanis’s household, groaning in the infirmary, could barely open her eyes.

She wasn’t one of the emperor’s concubines, nor even someone of great significance—merely a maid serving one of the concubines. The physician was taking his time examining her condition. Though her wounds were severe, neither her bones nor internal organs were damaged, and she hadn’t lost much blood. It was an injury that posed no threat to her life.

Knock, knock…

At the sound of a knock, the physician rose from his seat. Thinking it was better to let the injured woman rest more, he stepped out of the room. Once she regained consciousness, she would be tormented by excruciating pain. He intended to prescribe painkillers but knew they wouldn’t be enough.

As the physician exited, an attendant greeted him with a bow. The physician returned the greeting and closed the door to the infirmary behind him.

As soon as the door shut, the maid, who had seemed unconscious, opened her eyes. She glanced at the closed door and quickly surveyed her surroundings.

“…Aren’t you Yanis’s attendant? Did she express concern about her maid’s condition?”

“Yes. She gave orders not to spare any expense in treating her, as she’s someone from her tribe. She also instructed that at dawn, the maid should be taken to the temple for treatment by the priests.”

If it had been a member of the royal family or nobility who was injured, the priests might have visited themselves. But no priest would answer a summons simply because a concubine wished to tend to her maid’s wounds. Unless ordered by the emperor, it was unthinkable.

“Can she be moved?”

“Hm… The injuries aren’t life-threatening, so she can be moved. But the pain will be considerable.”

“If that’s the case, it should suffice. What Yanis wants is for this maid to return to her duties as soon as possible.”

“That’s quite the chilling sentiment.”

It wasn’t out of concern for the maid but because her own comfort was inconvenienced that Yanis ordered the treatment. The physician didn’t bother to point this out and simply granted permission for the maid to be taken away the following morning, in line with their schedule. There was little point in objecting, as Yanis would simply force the matter.

“It’s true her injuries aren’t fatal… but she’s a cold-hearted woman.”

Shaking his head in disapproval, the physician headed toward another room, unwilling to face the maid’s expression any longer.

Yanis’s maid, Paula, had been lying face down on the bed, listening to the entire conversation. While things had gone according to plan, a bitter taste filled her mouth.

“Lady Yanis…”

“Paula, if things don’t go as planned, you’ll have to use the same method as this time… but next time, be prepared to meet your end.”

Paula recalled how thrilled she had been when she was first assigned to serve Yanis, the chieftain’s daughter. But she hadn’t expected to follow Yanis all the way to this foreign empire of Adalaxus. When Yanis declared her intent to become one of the emperor’s concubines, Paula had been horrified and insisted she couldn’t go. But…

“You’re the only one I can trust! Are you telling me to live alone in that faraway, foreign land? You have to be on my side!”

What Yanis truly needed wasn’t an ally but a servant.

Looking back, Paula wished she had been more adamant in refusing. Even if the chieftain had threatened her and her parents, even if she’d had to flee in the middle of the night, she should have rejected Yanis’s demands.

She had known her mistress’s nature wasn’t gentle, yet she hadn’t resisted. And now, this was the result.

Back in their tribe, Yanis hadn’t been this cruel. But since becoming one of the emperor’s concubines, she had grown increasingly arrogant, busy imitating the ways of imperial nobles.

And for what? She still hasn’t won the emperor’s favor!

Paula couldn’t understand Yanis’s overconfidence. A man’s heart didn’t fall into a woman’s lap overnight!

“What’s the use of those rare nights in the emperor’s bed? She doesn’t even have a child to show for it…”

If Yanis had at least spent more nights with the emperor, she might have tried to pass off another man’s child as the emperor’s. But Paula vividly remembered the cold look in the emperor’s eyes when he regarded Yanis. It wasn’t the way a person looked at another person. There was no chance that the emperor would ever cherish Yanis. It seemed he merely found it amusing to let her torment the other concubines.

“Of all people…”

Attempting to harm the emperor’s most favored concubine—a woman who was said to be the empire’s only princess. She had almost become empress before the emperor’s whim reduced her to the status of a concubine. Rumors abounded that she would soon be made empress anyway, as the emperor appeared utterly infatuated with her.

“If this mission fails or if I’m discovered, I’ll lose my life.”

It was a terrifying task, offering no hope of a peaceful death.

“But Paula, this is the only way to avoid suspicion falling on you. Believe me, it pains me to push you like this… but remember, it’s all because of that woman.”

During periods of house arrest, not only were concubines confined, but their maids and attendants were also forbidden to leave. Yanis had inflicted this injury on Paula as a means to send her outside the palace walls. There was no need to use such a brutal whip to achieve this, but she had done so anyway.

“If only I had been that woman’s maid instead.”

Paula had never envied nobles, not once in her life. But she had spoken with the maids who served Lavinia.

They described Lavinia as someone who wasn’t temperamental or prone to striking people unnecessarily—a fair and just person. Some of them even wished that Lavinia would bear the emperor’s child and ascend as empress, as her presence had made serving the emperor far easier.

“But why should I care about that? I need to survive.”

Paula feared the chaos that would erupt if Lavinia were killed, but she also couldn’t escape from Yanis’s grasp. Guards would follow her to the temple to ensure her safety and escort her back. Escaping their watchful eyes would be nearly impossible.

“It would have been better if I’d fled before Lady Yanis’s house arrest was imposed.”

Even so, if Paula had fled without permission, Yanis would have labeled her a thief, ensuring that she was relentlessly hunted down. Knowing this, Paula still couldn’t help but regret not running away when she had the chance.