CHAPTER 3

CHAPTER 3

ZELIA felt even more curious about her previous her. So she asked the woman, "What did I do for living?"

The woman vendor looked at her weirdly but she still answered, "You work at Emperor's Palace as one of his harem's. They pay hundredths of gold coins, since you are poor and you need money, you started working at the Palace as one of Emperor's harem. But I've heard that he only pay 50 gold coins on you because you didn't satisfied him, then after you get the 50 gold coins, you ran away and never come back."

Zelia clenched her first in anger. 'Damn. Who even that Emperor is so lucky to have a good taste of someone like me and yet he only pay 50 gold coins?! The heck?!' She's trying to calm her nerves as she listen to the woman.

"So, what happened to the Emperor? Does he want me dead?"Zelia asked nonchalantly making the woman gasped in disbelief.

"Aren't you afraid to get killed, beheaded by the Emperor's wrath?!"She asked but in a low tone.

She shrugged her shoulder, "Well, it's not like I'm afraid of death. I even kill myself so why would I be afraid."

"What?!"

"Nothing. Anyways, back to what I asked... does the Emperor want me dead or not?"She asked.

The woman in mid-30s sigh, "He doesn't declared that you will be killed but he only say that you have only one week to enjoy that day then after that, you'll start working at the Palace, either an Emperor's Harem or a servant."

Her eyebrow raised, "Oho... interesting. So how much days I have left?"

"None. Today is the day that you will be forced to go to the Emperor's Place."She said making her eyes widened.

"What?!"

"Yes, that's true. Either you like it or not, they will drag you back to the palace."She said.

"What about my parents?"Zelia asked.

"You don't have a parents, you once thrown to the garbage but your foster parents adopt you then after you turn 18 they sold you to the palace and they will be the one to decide you either one of the Emperor's toy or a servant to the palace, but before they sold you... you ran away to hide then once again, you come back at the palace at the age of 28 as one of the harem but then after you get the 50 gold coins from the Emperor, you ran away."The woman said which made her awed in shock.

"Damn. That's crazy."Zelia murmured, "So, how much does my poster parents asked the Emperor for money?"

"200 gold coins."She replied.

"WHAT THE HELL?! DON'T JOKE WITH ME! My body and life only costs for 200 gold coins? This is unbelievable! Thank goodness I ran away or else I will became the Emperor's bed warmer at my debut.."Zelia said trying to calm her nerves.

"Oh, you're here."A baritone voice spoke behind her, when she look at the woman's face... a horror was visible on her face as she bow down her head.

She sighed. She already took a guess that the person who's behind her is the Emperor. The Almighty Emperor.

She turned around and she roamed her eyes, she saw all people's look... they were all terrified, nervous and scared as they bow their heads. She giggled when this Emperor, really reminds her of her past self where her subordinates and even her younger brother would trembles in nervous and terrified as soon as I walk in or even they saw my gorgeous face.

"What are you laughing for?"The Emperor spoke in serious tone.

She look at her surrounding, she saw the carriage and also the emperor's subordinates. Tsk.

"I just giggle, I didn't laugh. Laugh is different from giggle. Laugh is HaHaHa while giggle is HiHiHi, get my point?"Zelia said nonchalantly like she was talking to one of her servants.

She can feel the atmosphere being heavy that even one of them afraid to breath or else they would be slaughter.

And of course, one of Emperor's harem tried to slap her but Zelia caught her hands and tighten her hands enough for that woman to cried in pain.

The woman look at her angrily, "How dare you speak back to the Emperor! Insolent! Ugly!"

She smiled sweetly at that woman while her hand which was holding that woman's wrist tighten her grip to make her cried in pain. She chuckled, "Damn. I would be okay if you would call me insolent because I know that I am since I don't like to respect someone. But when you call me ugly? Bitch, which view of my face is ugly? I'm much gorgeous than you."She said while smiling at her but her eyes weren't.

The woman look at the Emperor, begging,"Your Majesty, he dares to hurt me and my wrist feels like to crumpled. Your Majesty, please punish this insolent ugly for hurting me."She said softly, begging the Emperor.

She look at the Emperor's gaze, he has this cold look as he look at Zelia but she didn't mind it, instead she look at that woman's gaze. She really broke the bone of that woman's wrist making her scream in pain, but no one dares to went to her way and to help her, even the Emperor wasn't looking at her—The only person that the Emperor was looking is Zelia but Zelia didn't mind the Emperor either.

The woman who was crying in pain, holding her hands as soon as Zelia take her hand off her wrist, she glare at her, "How dare you?! You lowly ugly peasant! You're so ugly that even your parents throw you to a garbage! Your poster parents sold you! Ha! No one loves you!"

Zelia made a face as she rolled her eyes at her,"You done, screaming?" She asked nonchalantly making the woman's face even red in anger as she look at the Emperor who was looking at Zelia.

"Your Majesty, please punish this impudent woman, she even broke my bones! A woman like her doesn't deserve to live!"She said but the Emperor didn't listen to her.

Zelia laugh at the situation while the people was secretly watching them but didn't dare to say or even move. She finds it amusing at the same time interesting.

She lowered her head, and violently grabbed the woman's chin, "Hmm... I don't deserve to live? I need to die? Damn bitch, I'm not afraid to die since I've already died once but I don't want to die. You know what I mean? I'm not afraid of death but I don't want to die. You get my point?"

When the woman tried to spit her, it's a relief that she dodge it and slap her face then she violently take her hands off her.

"Ah... so boring. You're not even gorgeous, with or without make-up. Anyways, you're saying that I'm ugly? Look closely to my face if which side is ugly. You call me bitch? Sorry to say, I'm not a female dog. Third, you call me insolent? Yes, I am. One thing that I hate most is to be treated like a dog."She said while giving her a serious look.

She once look at the Emperor who was emotionlessly looking at her. She spoke, "I know that your here to drag me at your place, so I'm here to give you an answer. I'm going to work there as a servant and not one of your harem. Since I know that my peaceful life won't come, I should give away my freedom and be one of the palace servant."

This time the Emperor spoke, "Why won't you became one of the harems?"

Zelia's face almost became a face of a bulldog, wrinkled as soon as the Emperor say those words, "Pardon me, Your Majesty but I'm not suited to be one of the harems, I don't want to be one of..."She pointed the woman who was glaring at her, holding her wrist, "like her. Even a beauty like me don't serve as a servant, but since my poster parents sold me to you, then I must endure my hell life."

The other woman—one of the harem, angrily spoke at her, "HOW DARE YOU SPEAK AT HIS MAJESTY LIKE THAT—"she immediately shut her mouth when the Emperor give her a cold look.

The Emperor look at her coldly, "You dare to speak like this to the Emperor, it should be great if I'll beheaded you mercilessly."

Zelia chuckled and went to his side and bow to him to show her nape, " Kill me already, Emperor. I told you I'm not afraid of death, I even want to volunteer to kill myself in front of you."She said and raise her head to see the Emperor's expression while the people who was watching them gasped in disbelief.

"You want me to kill you?"Emperor said.

She smiled sweetly, "On second thought, if you want to kill me, just say it to me and I'll kill myself directly. Of course, only you can say that to me since from now own I'll be your servant."

"If I asked you to kill yourself, you would do it?"

She was still smiling as she expertly grabbed the sword which was on the Emperor's side. Well, he was wearing along red gown with a lot of layers on top of it and he is also wearing a black long cup, which is hard to explain since she isn't from this dynasty. It's like what you saw on webtoon, the appearance of an Emperor.

As soon as she grabbed the sword, she pointed it to her heart then she tried to pierce the sword but it was stopped when the Emperor himself stop her.

"Stop it."Emperor said in menacing tone.

Zelia smirk and hand down the sword and put it back to where it belongs, "Yes, Your Majesty."

END OF CHAPTER 3