An enticing aroma permeated my senses as I saw different kinds of delicacies I haven't seen before laid on the table by a servant right before me. As soon as they finished serving the food, I heard his voice echo in the four corners of the dining room.
"Let's eat." He was Li Shen, the man who I unknowingly walked into when he was playing the string instrument. His hair was still flowing majestically behind his back with some strands parted at the sides of his face. His crimson eyes trained at the food he was eating as his chopsticks work its wonders. His eyebrows were slightly creased in a frown and yet he still looked like royalty- I mean, well, he is royalty.
Li Shen, the infamous emperor that ruled in tyranny in the hidden empire, to be exact the entire dark continent, is sitting right in front of me eating his lunch.
My body flinched in response when his eyes suddenly averted and met mine. "What are you staring at? It's not like you can eat me." I felt a wave of embarrassment surged into my body upon realizing that I was staring at him this entire time while I was out daydreaming.
"Mommy, don't you like the food?" A worried voice came up right beside me, it was Noah's. I gave him a slight smile and shook my head sideways in response before getting a smile back in return from the child.
Somehow, I still can't believe what I went through to be eating with both this father and son at the present. I have been here for a week already since he brought me here but everything still felt ridiculous. I mean, I knew that I'd consider it to be lucky if I get off of my current situation by getting killed instead of going back to Nanchang Empire in a sorry state and barely hanging on with my lifeline.
So how did I end up here in the palace eating with the royalties?
It all started back when Noah cried and was clinging onto me during my audience with his father, the emperor. I was sure that right at that exact moment I'd have my head serve in a platter. But contrary to what I thought, it wasn't the case, instead, I was sent to my temporary chamber and had to wait for further action from the emperor. Although Noah had to be left behind when I was sent away.
Who knows what they discussed but it all ended up with me being Noah's adoptive mother. And as his adoptive mother, eating with the child with the inclusion of his father's presence was nothing more but a routine that I should adapt as well.
"Young madam is too good with taking care of the young master!" My right eye flinched at the comment I heard from the servant who was assigned to me. Lunch was done already a few hours ago and I'm currently accompanying little Noah to his study room.
"The young master had never been this well behaved before, but ever since young madam showed up, the young master has been amiable!" This servant is rather talkative even though I haven't responded anything to him for the past hours but he still kept blabbing.
Apparently, everyone in the palace were men, I haven't met a single soul from a woman since the day I stepped into this place. I found it surprising that every individual who took care of every task were men. From cleaning the whole place down to preparing the food to be served and the water for the bath. At first, I thought the emperor had gynophobia for not letting any women into the palace and not even having a harem full of beautiful ladies. But I was reminded that he didn't even flinch and was the first one to take a hold of me back then. I even came up with a nonsense idea that he wasn't interested in any, but men. If he was, he wouldn't have little Noah by then. Was he pressured to take on an heir? Nah, I doubt so, he doesn't look like someone you can express your idea without considering of going home with your head still attached to your neck.
For the first time, I felt the urge to ask something from the servant, "Why is it there are no other women around?"
The servant's face turned into horror and responded with a serious tone, "The master despised the idea of women loitering around the palace. One time, a woman dared to walk in here but she wasn't even able to take another step once she had her foot passed through the doors. Master, he-" With a face of pure horror, he raised his thumb and drew a precise line on his neck. In a matter of seconds after telling the tale, he immediately switched back to his nonchalant personality and gave me an idiotic smile. "That's why I think the young madam is someone special! You even had the young master wrapped around your finger that even the eldest daughter of the shadow army commander can't get close to."
Shadow army? I suppose that's the army under the emperor's influence.
"You are the only sole woman who stepped into the palace with your head intact, very commendable!" Ugh, I suppose that itself deserves some praise.
"Is it really something to be proud of?"
"Of course, it is! Other than the late madam Beatrice, no woman had gotten close to the emperor and young master!" As if he had spoken about a taboo subject, he immediately covered his mouth with both of his hands, his eyes turned into saucers.
"Beatrice?" I asked in curiosity.
He instantly shook his head and waved his hands on my face in terror. "Shhhh! Forget about it young madam- no, don't even talk about it! If you don't want for both of us to be dead any second."
I gave him a look of disdain, seriously this man. "Why would you count me in with you? It wasn't me who thoughtlessly spouted about the subject."