Serving the Emperor

Jinny paused from loading hay onto the cart, letting out a deep sigh. She grabbed the towel draped over her shoulders and wiped the sweat from her brow. The work in the stables was exhausting.

Lifting her gaze, she stared at the sky—it was a perfect shade of blue, clear and endless. A thought crossed her mind. I wonder how Nene and the others are doing inside the palace.

Her eyes drifted back to the neatly tied bundles of hay she still had to carry into the stables. Another sigh escaped her lips. Too much hay…

Then, her thoughts wandered to Sir Yehuda. How is he today?

Since she had started working in the stables, she hadn't seen him. She pouted slightly at the thought.

"Hey! Stop dawdling!"

The stable master's voice snapped her out of her daydream. Startled, she flinched.

"I—I'm sorry!" she stammered before quickly resuming her task, piling hay onto the cart with renewed urgency.

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"Are you sure it's alright for you to go outside?" the emperor's right-hand man asked, concern evident in his voice.

"I'm fine. I just want to breathe some fresh air," Matias replied, walking slowly.

Staying cooped up in his room any longer would only weaken his body.

"The Montclairs have been unusually quiet these past few weeks, and it's making me uneasy," Matias continued. "I fear that sooner or later, they'll launch another surprise attack."

"The men are guarding the borders closely," his right-hand man assured him. "We receive daily updates on any movements."

Matias gave a small nod in response. He came to a halt, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath, savoring the crisp air. The warmth of the sun on his skin was a welcome comfort, easing some of his tension.

But his moment of peace was abruptly shattered when he heard the stable master scolding a servant nearby.

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Jinny was busy pushing the cart when she suddenly noticed the emperor nearby. He stood still, his eyes closed, basking in the fresh air and warm sunlight.

It was the first time she had ever seen his face so clearly. Inside the palace, she never dared to look at him directly. But now that she could see him up close, she couldn't deny it—he was breathtakingly handsome.

His features were striking: smooth, fair skin that seemed untouched by the countless battles he had fought, and jet-black hair that contrasted beautifully with his complexion. But what truly left her stunned was his eyes. When he finally opened them, she froze.

Red. As deep and rich as blood.

Only members of the Serolf family were said to have such a rare eye color.

Lost in her thoughts, Jinny didn't notice the stable master approaching. The sudden crack of a whip against the ground jolted her from her trance, making her jump in surprise.

"How many times do I have to tell you to stop dawdling? You're only slowing down the work here!" the stable master scolded harshly.

Jinny flinched, fear gripping her as she stumbled and fell to the ground. If that whip had struck her, the pain would have been unbearable.

"I-I'm very sorry… I… d-didn't—" She stammered, unable to form a proper sentence through her fear.

The stable master clicked his tongue in annoyance. "Tsk. If you can't do your job properly, I'll throw you out! I don't need lazy workers here. I'll inform His Majesty and have you dismissed!"

Tears welled up in her eyes. She was terrified.

Just as the stable master raised his whip again, a commanding voice cut through the tension.

"What's going on here?"

Both Jinny and the stable master turned in shock. The emperor was approaching, flanked by his knights.

"Y-Your Majesty!" The stable master quickly bowed, his tone shifting to one of desperate respect. "What brings you here, Your Majesty?"

Jinny, still trembling, lowered her head in a shaky bow. Matias took note of her trembling form before shifting his sharp gaze to the stable master.

"Tell me," Matias said, his voice cold, "what exactly were you doing to her?"

The stable master swallowed hard. "I-I was just teaching her a lesson, Your Majesty. This servant keeps dawdling and slowing down the work in the stables. I only wanted her to learn from her mistakes."

"By whipping her?" Matias asked icily, his gaze darkening as he turned to Jinny.

She didn't dare lift her head.

"Forgive me, Your Majesty, if our commotion disturbed you. Please, have mercy," the stable master pleaded.

Matias narrowed his eyes. "I assigned her here because I trusted you to manage the servants properly. I had no idea this was how you treated them."

The stable master quickly dropped into a deeper bow, his forehead nearly touching the ground. "P-Please forgive me, Your Majesty! I made a grave mistake! Please, spare me!"

Matias shot him a deathly glare.

"I will be taking this servant back to the palace," he declared, turning on his heel.

The stable master stood frozen in shock before his gaze darted to Jinny. Even she was taken aback.

Why is His Majesty taking me back?

"T-Thank you, Your Majesty!" she called out, her voice filled with both gratitude and confusion.

But Matias ignored her and continued walking, his mood for a leisurely stroll now completely ruined.

The stable master scoffed, clicking his tongue in frustration. "Tsk. You're lucky," he muttered before storming away.

Jinny remained still, watching the emperor's retreating figure, her mind racing with questions.

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Back in the Palace...

As soon as Jinny returned to the palace, Nene rushed toward her, wrapping her in a tight embrace.

"I'm so glad you're back!" Nene said excitedly.

Jinny smiled, relieved to see her friend again. After a short chat, Nelly arrived with unexpected news.

"Starting today, you'll be serving the emperor," she announced.

"W-What?" Jinny's eyes widened in disbelief.

Hadn't the emperor disliked her ever since she accidentally broke one of his belongings? Why would he want her to serve him again?

"I don't know why," Nelly admitted. "But it was an order from the head butler."

Jinny felt a wave of anxiety wash over her. What if she made another mistake? What if the punishment was worse this time?

But she had no choice. An order from the emperor was absolute. She sighed.

"I'll be alright," she said, forcing a smile.

After receiving her instructions, she immediately made her way to the emperor's chambers. Upon entering, she noticed he wasn't there.

"Y-Your Majesty?" she called hesitantly.

"I'm here," came Matias' voice from the adjoining room.

Jinny followed the sound, but the moment she stepped inside, her breath hitched.

There he was, reclining in a large bathtub, steam curling around him.

Her cheeks flushed, burning with embarrassment.

"F-Forgive me, Your Majesty!" she stammered, spinning around in a panic.

Matias, however, remained unfazed. He had experienced similar reactions before from other servants who had seen him like this—and he had ignored them all.

"Come and help me with the soap," he ordered, his tone indifferent.

Jinny swallowed hard. "Y-Yes, Your Majesty!"

Hands trembling, she took the soap and hesitantly stepped toward him. Her eyes flickered to his bare back.

His broad shoulders, his toned muscles… He looks so… She shook the thought away, gulping.

"Hurry up," Matias said impatiently.

"Y-Yes!" she blurted out and quickly began scrubbing his back.

As she worked, her gaze unintentionally lingered on the dark marks that stretched from his neck down to his left shoulder.

A birthmark? she wondered.

"Stop staring and do your job properly," Matias muttered without opening his eyes.

Jinny flinched. "F-Forgive me, Your Majesty!" She quickly refocused, scrubbing his back more diligently.

When she moved to wash his arm, Matias remained still, his eyes closed, his expression unreadable. He looked… exhausted.

She poured shampoo into her hands and began lathering it into his jet-black hair. Now that she was this close, she could fully take in his features.

He was truly handsome; there was no doubt that many women in the empire were attracted to him.

The silence between them stretched on, neither of them speaking as she finished bathing him. When it was over, she helped him dress, though her face remained bright red the entire time. She couldn't stop herself from occasionally glancing at his well-defined body.

Matias retired to bed early, clearly needing rest.

After tidying up, Jinny bowed deeply. "I will take my leave now, Your Majesty."

He didn't respond. His breathing had already begun to steady, as though he were on the verge of sleep.

She quietly left his chambers and, once outside, let out a long sigh of relief.

She was glad she hadn't made any mistakes this time.

The emperor seemed calm today…

With that thought, she turned and began walking back to the servants' quarters.