Chapter 3

“Your Majesty, I will accept it if you calm down a bit and tell me why exactly you don’t like me.”

Rosaline gulped. She couldn’t back out like this. Thankfully, Cahir loved compromising. He was a genius when it came to compromising. He wasn’t someone who would reject someone offering a compromise without hearing what they had to say.

And Rosaline was confident that she could persuade Cahir since she knew what he liked.

So let’s talk first.

“The reason why I don’t like you?”

“Yes, Your Majesty. Is it really because I’m a woman? Please tell me if there is a different reason.”

Cahir turned his gaze away from the mirror. He scanned Rosaline from head to toe once more. There was a low sigh from Cahir.

“You’re…”

Rosaline and Dereck’s eyes sparkled. Dereck also did not want to search all night to find a new secretary. After making eye contact with each of them, Cahir spoke.

“You’re prettier than me.”

Rosaline and Dereck grimaced. Rosaline didn’t know if she should be happy or cry because of how unfair the situation was.

She knew he was a crazy bastard but she didn’t know it was this bad. Shouldn’t he like a girl if she is pretty? Ella was also called the most beautiful woman in the empire, so why did it work for her and not Rosaline?

This information could not be found in the novel. It was actually completely opposite from Cahir’s tastes and preferences described in the novel. Truthfully, Rosaline’s appearance today had been created through researching the type of dresses, hair style, and makeup that Cahir liked.

‘But now you’re saying you don’t like me because I’m pretty?’

Rosaline chewed on her lower lip, wondering what she should do.

“Aren’t you the one who asked? You said you would fix the problem. You looked like you really wanted to be the secretary, but I guess I was wrong.”

Rosaline thought quickly. There was no way to get out of a situation like this in the novel. She knew because she had read the book until it was practically falling apart.

‘The story changed!’

Ah! It was a mistake to be overconfident about being the secretary because I trusted the story of the novel. But she couldn’t go back now.

“Your Majesty, thank you for regarding me so highly. However, you are the sun of our empire, the star of the Etheus Empire. My appearance cannot compare to your elegant, luxurious, and pure looks. Your Majesty, please take back your words.”

It was tiring to suck up to someone. Rosaline gritted her teeth and praised Cahir’s appearance. Dereck flapped his hands from the side, as if he was telling her to go on. Rosaline activated her brain to the max.

‘What should I say? I can’t think of anything…’

There was nothing to praise besides his looks. He wasn’t a tyrant for nothing, after all.

Am I supposed to praise him for how smooth the blade is when he cuts someone’s neck off? Or what about the time he took over an entire country because someone from that country stole something from him? Maybe that is something to praise… Anyway, there’s nothing to praise him about!

“I’m worried that I’ll make your great deeds appear trivial if I dare describe them.”

But there was always a way out.

Cahir’s frown slowly disappeared.

“You talk too much. Do you want to be my secretary that badly?”

It was alright now. This was a very good sign.

Rosaline stood up tall.

“Yes, Your Majesty. I want to become the shadow of the empire’s sun.”

“You’re… going to become the shadow… as the secretary?”

Rosaline nodded energetically. A moment of silence passed. Cahir stared at Rosaline. He sighed often. He still didn’t seem to be keen on the idea.

Rosaline felt the need to explain a little more about herself. After all, self intros and self PR was necessary in 21st century Korea as well.

“I’m good at it!”

“At what?”

“I’m fluent in foreign languages, I have good stamina, and I also have the confidence that I’ll be able to suit your tastes perfectly.”

“Perfectly?”

Cahir fixed his posture. Good, he’s interested now. Rosaline smiled brightly.

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

“Anything?”

“Yes, anything!”

Cahir hummed and made a relaxed expression. He leaned into the chair. Then he put his arms on the armrests of the chair and scanned Rosaline again with his hands put together.

His fiery orange eyes seemed to pierce into Rosaline. It wasn’t a dangerous look. Cahir’s heart seemed to have leaned to hiring her.

“Dereck.”

Cahir called Dereck as he continued to stare at Rosaline. Dereck, who had been standing further away, came towards them quickly.

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“The room next to mine. Rosaline’s room will be the room next to mine.”

Cahir’s secretaries must stay in the palace. This is because there is so much work to do that they must work all day and night.

Cahir’s mood became nasty whenever the work that he wanted to do did not get done in time. Dereck shuddered at the thought of it.

“I’ll give you one week, Rosaline. Show me how useful you are.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Rosaline smiled prettily and curtsied. Cahir simply gazed at her light purple hair as it fell low.

* * *

Rosaline learning process was taken over by Cahir’s maid, Hui. Rosaline was to look around the palace with Hui today and start her work as a secretary tomorrow.

Only Dereck and Cahir were left in the emperor’s bedroom. Dereck placed the crown on Cahir. The crown kept slipping because of Cahir’s smooth hair.

This is why they wanted to fix it with pomade.

Dereck gave up on placing the crown on correctly. As expected, the crown leaned towards one side.

‘I need to find a way to fix it.’

“Just leave it Dereck. I’m only gonna wear for it a little bit when I’m meeting with the ministers anyway.”

Cahir got up, holding the crown in his hand. Cahir was the only person in the royal family, no, the entire empire, who would dare mistreat the empire’s treasure like this.

“Your Majesty, I am curious about something.”

Cahir stopped in the middle of his tracks. He signaled with his chin, telling Dereck to speak.

“Do you really not like women?”

“Yes, I don’t like pretty women.”

“Since when?”

This was something even Dereck did not know. Dereck had grown up with Cahir.

Dereck was Cahir’s friend, guard, and secretary. Dereck had grown up in the palace with Cahir. When Cahir began walking, Dereck also began walking, and when Cahir began talking, Dereck also began talking.

Dereck had practically first handedly watched Cahir’s entire development process. But this was the first time he had heard that Cahir did not like women.

He simply thought he had no interest because he seemed bored even when the most beautiful women were brought as tribute…

Perhaps?

Dereck’s face suddenly froze. He backed away from Cahir.

“What’s wrong, Dereck?”

There were several male secretaries, but Cahir only called for Dereck. And Cahir hated mistakes, but he was pretty lenient when it came to Dereck. On top of it, he hates women.

Dereck’s face paled.

“Your Majesty, do you perhaps…like men?”

Cahir’s eyes widened. His eyes began glinting dangerously.

“Or, do you… like me?”

He shouldn’t have said this. Cahir’s hand was at the sword on his waist. Dereck staggered backwards.

“Dereck, have you lived too long? Or maybe you have two lives?”

“Then why?! Why don’t you like Rosaline?”

“I told you. She’s pretty.”

“I don’t understand. Don’t you like pretty things?”

Cahir sighed. Did he really have to spell it out for him? He had expected Dereck to understand right away, since he had been Cahir’s secretary for so long.

But Dereck truly seemed to be confused. He didn’t want to explain, but Dereck was someone who had to find out the reason behind everything. If Cahir didn’t answer, Dereck would probably stare at him all day with desperate eyes.

Cahir turned his gaze slightly. He hated being bothered. Cahir whispered.

“She’s perfectly my type. So much to the point that it’s suspicious.”

He seemed to be blushing slightly as he said the words ‘perfectly my type’. Dereck rubbed his eyes, thinking that he was seeing things. He must’ve imagined it for sure.

Cahir was wearing a bland and uninterested expression again. Dereck sighed in relief.

“Right, Dereck. Research the Berit family again. Find out if they really don’t have any relations with the former empress.”

Cahir ordered as he grabbed the door handle.

There was no way Cahir couldn’t get the wrong idea from Rosaline, since she was so perfectly his type, so much to the point that it was scary.

* * *

Rosaline went around the palace with Hui. The palace was extremely large.

“Can we rest for a bit?”

Rosaline lifted her skirt a bit to reveal her heels. She couldn’t understand why the maids in the palace only wore flat shoes before, but after experiencing it for herself, she could finally understand.

She didn’t even want to think about walking to the laundry area with high heels.

She hadn’t expected to be moving around so much. In fact, she would have to move around just as much as the maids as she followed the emperor around as his secretary.

“We can’t…”

Hui looked around. Hui looked down at Rosaline’s feelt and scratched her cheek, wondering what to do.

Hui and Rosaline arrived at the garden of the 3rd palace instead of the main palace. The Etheus royal palace had the main palace in the middle, and the 1st & 2nd palaces on each side, and the 3rd palace in the back.

Normally the 1st palace was used by the empress, the 2nd palace was used by the former empress, and the 3rd palace was used by the concubine of the emperor.

But this was only a logical explanation. In reality, the owner of each palace was decided by how much the emperor favored you, which also symbolizes the power you have.

The 1st and 2nd palaces are usually used by those favored by the emperor. The 3rd palace was the opposite. It was hidden behind the main palace. People called the 3rd palace the abandoned star.

Hui and Rosaline were in the 3rd palace, the garden of the person who had the worst relationship with Cahir.

Hui was someone who had served Cahir for a long time. She was just a maid, not even the head maid, but most people in the palace treated her with respect. On the other hand, people in the 3rd palace considered her a nuisance.

They called her cocky, mocked her for abusing the emperor’s power, and bullied her in a way that was unnoticeable to others.

If Hui didn’t have such a calm personality, she would probably fight with the people in this palace every day. In any case, Hui didn’t want to stay long in here.

“Lady Rosaline, is it alright if we go on a little more before resting? The introduction for the 3rd palace will be very quick. After the 3rd palace is the library. Why don’t you rest in the library? The chairs in the library are very comfortable and there’s even a separate resting area, so it’ll be better to rest there than the garden.”

Hui was speaking quickly. Her voice was very quiet as well. She kept on looking around, as if she was nervous.

‘Why is she so nervous?’

Rosaline gazed at Hui. Was there something in the 3rd palace.