“…Are you awake now?”

“This, right now… Hngh. What are you… doing?”

“I need to pour my seed into you. That way you won’t get pregnant, right?”

“Hah…”

So that was why he had stuck his c*ck into her sleeping body. But Evelyn still didn’t understand. Why would he bother with a slave…?

“Hngh…!”

Every time his gl*ns scraped against her vaginal walls, she bit her lips. She was still uncomfortable because of his unfamiliar member. Of course, she knew that if they did it long enough, she would feel good too…

“The coronation… ceremony is… Ungh…!”

“We’re entering the imperial palace tomorrow. It seems father will pass away soon.”

“…The Emperor?”

“Right.”

Until now, Jenkins had been staying at the inn while going in and out of the imperial palace. She knew the reason he hadn’t entered the palace directly. It was because of her. The harem was still full of the Emperor’s concubines, and it would take quite some time to clear it out.

“Haah. Then, I’ll… stay here… continu… Hngh. Right?”

“What are you talking about? You have to come too.”

“…”

Once she entered the heavily guarded harem, she wouldn’t be able to come out anymore. Moreover, the crest marking her as property of the royal family was now engraved on her neck. Evelyn found her situation amusing.

When she chuckled, Jenkins frowned.

“Why? Are you happy thinking about entering the harem?”

“…Who… knows… Ungh.”

Whether she married the Emperor or the Crown Prince, her life seemed similar either way. She just hadn’t known the Crown Prince would be Jenkins. She didn’t know if that was fortunate or unfortunate, but still, if she was going to be intimate with someone, it was better to be with someone she liked.

At some point, Jenkins pressed down on Evelyn’s body with his weight. His solid chest crushed against her br*asts as his c*ck entered deeper.

“Evelyn… The tattoo turned out really well.”

Evelyn hadn’t looked in a mirror yet. Her neck just felt hot and stinging. Jenkins unusually didn’t s*ck on her neck.

“They said licking it could cause infection, so I’ll have to hold back today.”

“If you held back… Ungh, every day… that would be… nice?”

“That’s impossible.”

Swoosh, Jenkins entered inside like he was swimming. The bed was damp from however much he had done while she was sleeping. Would Jenkins visit her less once they entered the imperial palace?

[Once you enter the harem, you’ll have to compete with other women to win my heart…]

Just like he said, Evelyn hoped he would please visit her occasionally. Jenkins, who had been thrusting deep inside, *jaculated inside Evelyn and sighed. He held her body tightly and showered her with kisses.

For a moment, Evelyn could see the letters engraved on her wrist.

‘Jenkins King Peshar…’

Looking at his full name, she just laughed. Engraving a name on a person like they were some object – what peculiar taste, she thought.

* * *

As soon as they entered the imperial palace, Evelyn headed to the harem with Louisa. Evelyn wore a long cloak Jenkins had given her, but underneath she was n*ked. Seeing the royal family’s crest engraved on her neck and the Crown Prince’s name engraved on her wrist, several palace servants became tense.

An elderly palace servant who seemed to manage the harem came out. Her face looked familiar – she seemed like Betsy, the maid they had met at the border. She was the woman who had covered and protected her from the Crown Prince back then.

“…Lady Evelyn, please come this way.”

She had expected to be treated like a slave, but somehow she felt she was being treated more politely than Louisa. And she had thought a harem was a place where women lived together, but the palace Evelyn was assigned seemed to be for her alone.

“This is a palace specially bestowed by His Highness the Crown Prince.”

“…Really?”

“He said he would visit frequently. Congratulations. Oh, do you know that Her Majesty the Empress is in the harem? It would be good to visit her often. It would be even better if you became close.”

“…Ah. Really?”

Evelyn spoke reluctantly. A young maid beside Betsy spoke with sparkling eyes.

“You must become close with her. When she becomes the Empress Dowager, she might choose a woman to become Empress and recommend her to His Majesty the Emperor. Of course, she would respect His Majesty the Emperor’s wishes, but if Her Majesty the Empress Dowager opposes, you could never become Her Majesty the Empress. Be careful not to be hated.”

“…Then it would be better not to meet her?”

“Pardon?”

“I’ll only go when called.”

While the maid was flustered, Evelyn looked around the palace. It was quite spacious for living alone, and the bed was ridiculously large.

‘He said I’d have to compete with other women, but he gives me a separate palace like this? Well, it’s not bad…’

The harem was very quiet, with only bird sounds audible. But someone was causing a commotion at the palace entrance. A familiar voice – it was Louisa Harper.

“I’m going to use this palace! I’m the daughter of a Marquis family!”

“That’s not allowed. This palace was bestowed upon Lady Evelyn by His Highness the Crown Prince!”

Louisa raised her hand and slapped the maid’s cheek. Several other maids grabbed Louisa’s body to stop her. When Louisa saw Evelyn coming down the stairs, she shouted.

“You traitor! I’m a Marquis’s daughter! I can’t live with a commoner!”

Evelyn recalled Marquis Harper, who had been preparing to attack this place in the basement of the Turble Guild.

Her father had been worried about her, but Louisa was definitely infatuated with Jenkins. That’s why she had been so obviously aiming for the spot beside him. Evelyn shrugged.

“Then give this palace to Louisa. I’ll go to Louisa’s room…”

At those words, Louisa looked delighted. All the maids looked troubled, but Evelyn didn’t care. A maid spoke tremblingly.

“Lady Evelyn. His Highness the Crown Prince will be angry if he finds out…?”

“It doesn’t matter. Does a slave need a palace?”

Louisa happily entered the palace. Joy at occupying the largest palace except for the Empress’s palace made Louisa’s mouth stretch from ear to ear.

“That’s right. Her Highness the Princess is a slave now, right? She even has tattoos on her body!”

Evelyn gestured to another maid.

“Let’s go.”

“…Yes.”

The maid led Evelyn to different quarters with anxious eyes. When Evelyn left, the other maids followed her too, leaving Louisa alone.

“I need maids too!”

She pestered one of Evelyn’s maids, but got nothing. All the maids here were assigned to Evelyn.

Inside the large palace were countless rooms. From small rooms to large ones. Evelyn slowly looked around inside, and the maids escorting her were also standing by.

“Not bad?”

Louisa’s room was quite spacious and splendid. It was luxurious with a bathroom and bathtub inside the room. But being a shared building, it might not satisfy Louisa, who was born into a Marquis family.

A maid grumbled.

“Lady Evelyn is royalty, so His Highness the Prince specially bestowed a separate palace for  her. But to give it away to someone else…”

“It was just inconveniently large.”

Actually, she had moved here because she thought Jenkins would visit frequently. Looking at the tattoos engraved on Evelyn’s neck and wrist, the maid muttered.

“You are very much loved…”

Evelyn didn’t hear the maid’s words well.

“Just bring me food. I’m starving to death.”

“Yes!”

After the maid left, Evelyn lay down on the wide bed. She wouldn’t be here long anyway. She heard the coronation was in a month, and by then she would be free.

‘…But will I really be free?’

Until now, she had been bound to the country called Astia. But what about when she lived as a commoner knight? She had quite a fun time with Jenkins at the border, and living with the old man and Josh was peaceful and good. She wanted to return to those times.

To those free times, even if she had to starve.

The maid brought food, but Evelyn fell asleep while looking at the ceiling.

* * *

“Your Highness the Crown Prince! Please…! That child is innocent! Kyaaah!”

Evelyn opened her eyes at the elderly maid’s scream. Rubbing her sleepy eyes, she looked toward where the sound was coming from. Outside the window stood knights holding swords, and Jenkins was among them.

A knight holding a sword was pointing it at the maid’s neck. When the maid’s slender neck was illuminated by the lamp, Evelyn shouted in surprise.

“Jenkins!”

At her cry, Jenkins raised his hand to stop the knight’s action and looked at her.

“You’re awake?”

At his sly voice, Evelyn wrapped herself in a cloak and hurried outside. When she went out, Betsy was kneeling and begging Jenkins. Another maid was extending her neck and crying tears.

“What’s going on?”

It was a completely incomprehensible situation. Jenkins pointed at the maid with his chin.

“The crime of not carrying out my orders.”

“Orders?”

“Right. I clearly told them to take you to the palace, but there was another woman there.”

“…But I gave that to Louisa?”

Jenkins looked down at Evelyn with a cold gaze.

“You? What could you, a mere slave, possibly own to give away? Everything here belongs to me. That also includes you.”