Prince of Wives

by Jason Hale

  "Now come here."

  They stood up and walked toward him with eyes full of expectations. He grabbed them by the waists and one after the other, invaded their lips and necks with his tongue. Kissing and covering them in more hickeys than they could ever handle.

  "Mhhmh!"

  …

  After parting from the blond sisters, Konnor returned to his quarters and was surprised to see his eunuch roommates still snoring.

  "Really you could kill them in their sleep, and they would never know. What a useless bunch."

  "Weren't you about to be killed in your sleep too?"

  "…"

  Having learned from past mistakes, Konnor didn't try to counterattack. The system was the king of low jabs. He would have to practice some more to be his match.

  "I still have two hours before the sun rises huh? Better than nothing…"

  He fell face first into his hard pillow and passed out on the bed.

  Two hours passed in a flash and the footsteps of thousands of individuals rising to attend to their respective duties in orderly manners soon echoed within the inner court.

  Konnor was no exception and rose to dive into the fray alongside his eunuch roommates.

  "Hey Konnor, didn't you get summoned by the holy consort? What happened?"

  "Yeah, did you get a reward or some secret assignment?"

  Asked Ralph and Alan. Those two had joined the palace at around the same time as Konnor and had been assigned to the same quarters and duties. If their relationship with the original Konnor was not bad, it was also not too close.

  "I did receive a secret assignment and will soon report back to the holy consort with large, deep and overwhelming results!"

  The two eunuchs were taken aback. That assignment must have been of vital and paramount importance, and from Konnor's tone, they could hear that he would hammer it with firm, piercing thrusts, not stopping until it laid conquered on the floor!

  So to speak…

  …

  …

  ...

  Chapter 7 - Infiltrating the Embroidery Department

  Ralph and Alan were convinced that Konnor would soon be promoted and were resolved to suck up to him while they still could.

  "Hahaha, the first time I saw you I knew you were bound to distinguish yourself. At first glance, it's clear that you're an outstanding young man endowed with countless skills and great abilities."

  Konnor clearly remembered Ralph saying that his days in the inner court would be full of hardships.

  "Well said, Ralph. It is clear that Konnor is a sharp, witty guy capable of fulfilling great tasks. To be able to spot such a talent so quickly, hehe, the Holy Consort's eyesight is truly extraordinary!"

  Didn't Alan call him a "dullard" just three days ago?

  Good sycophants. It almost seemed like they had been trained in "How to suck up like a boss 101, 201 and 301" in their mothers' bellies!

  "In the future, you must take good care of us?"

  Konnor almost vomited.

  "Who is going to take care of you? Son of a bitch, your daddy Konnor only takes care of beauties!"

  He wanted to say but kept those words within his mind. Instead, he adopted the lofty stance of an expert and graced them with a confident smile.

  "That is natural. We're after all brothers who entered the palace together. If we don't take care of each other, who will?"

  "I can even give you an opportunity to make some contribution!"

  Immediately, their eyes lit up. Although they were human beings from low backgrounds with no cultivation, if they could make some contribution for the Holy Consort, they were sure to have a bright future within the inner court!

  In theory, the Holy Empress had the highest official rank after the Empress Dowager, but just like there was only one empress, there was also only one Holy Consort.

  The Holy Consort's status was for all intents and purposes, equal to the Empress'. Better yet, she was much more adept at political intrigues and controlled more than half of the inner court and concubines. Meanwhile, the empress rarely appeared and often didn't meddle in such machinations.

  "What is it that we're supposed to do?"

  "Nothing special. Just give me detailed information on Ilaina."

  "The head palace maid?"

  "Yes!"

  Unlike the previous body's owner who only did his work, those two had upon arrival began building a solid network and ingratiating themselves with their superiors to make their lives easier. They were quick and efficient and gathered a lot of information on the surrounding departments to be aware of how and who to please and not offend.

  They would be excellent goons.

  "Well, there is a lot to say actually. Head Maid Ilaina is a rather special case among the head palace maids. She's the illegitimate daughter of an Uradel count and should belong to ancient nobility. But because of her illegitimate status, she was sent into the palace at the age of sixteen."

  "However, her cultivation talent is far above average, and despite the suppression she faced, she was able to become a head palace maid in less than fifteen years. Now she's almost forty, and it's rumored that her cultivation has reached the higher end of the True Knight Rank. Even if she hasn't reached the ninth step, she's probably not too far from it."

  True Knights and Priests had a lifespan of three hundred years so although Ilaina was close to forty, she still looked like a ravishing twenty years old beauty.

  "Thanks to her cultivation, she managed to obtain the right to choose a family name. But because of her half-human blood, she still faces a lot of difficulties."

  "Still, as a half-lamia, she commands great respect within the embroidery department and takes her work very seriously. It's also said that she desperately seeks high-grade True Spirit Restoration Pills. Definitely a person not to offend…"

  Anyone who reached the True Knight Rank could be given the "Imperial Knight" title and ennobled. Nobles were the only ones allowed to own land and possess family names. But even though he came from the twenty-first century, Konnor paid little mind to that. Family was a concept that always eluded him. He grew up without one in the most ordinary of orphanages after being abandoned by his birth mother.

  Was that why he found so much enjoyment in spreading a woman's legs?

  "Nope, it just feels fucking good."

  "What did you say?"

  "Nothing…"

  Soon the trio reached the branch of the inner court's kitchen they had been assigned to. Like a little city with three hundred thousand inhabitants, it was impossible for the inner court to only have one kitchen. It was a large complex of hundreds of large kitchens each tasked with serving different departments.

  Naturally, the concubines' meals were always a top priority.

  Comparing and contrasting the information he had gotten from his eunuch goons with what Aliki and Faidra had provided him, Konnor decided to make his move.

  "I need to deal with a matter. Would you mind taking my shift?"

  He asked, and they didn't disappoint.

  "We naturally don't! You can go take care of what you want. We definitely won't let anyone notice that you're gone."

  Both Ralph and Alan found it strange that the Konnor who loved cooking more than his life and would usually never waste an opportunity to get his hands-on ingredients was so eager to shrink from his duties.

  Surely, that was proof of the task's importance!

  "I will not treat you unjustly. Who knows, you might soon be able to get your hands on cultivation methods."

  The duo's eyes sparkled. Cultivation methods were treasure jealously kept by the nobility, and only the most ordinary manuals were spread among commoners. But even then, their prices were not affordable.

  Now their resolve to work for Konnor was only strengthened!

  Without further ado, Konnor sneaked out of the kitchen and shot toward the embroidery department. Eunuchs going and coming was commonplace, and most people would just mind thei
r own business to avoid being punished for slacking off on their duties, so Konnor drew no attention.

  The best way to draw attention, however, was to stay idle which is why Konnor used the purple bead to conceal his aura and hid from prying eyes while observing the eunuch pavilions of the embroidery department for a suitable target.

  It wouldn't be long before he found an ordinary looking low-ranked eunuch who seemed to be heading toward Ilaina's embroidery house to deliver fabrics. Konnor tailed him until there was no one in a clear radius and struck out!

  *Bam*

  A swift chop to the neck knocked the eunuch unconscious. Konnor carried him into a dark alley, bundled him with robes and gagged his mouth to prevent him from screaming upon waking up.

  "No hard feelings man."

  He then used his transformation skill to assume the eunuch's appearance, robbed his token, and took custody of the fabrics which he was now bringing to Ilaina's embroidery house.

  "Damn, the things a man gotta do to build a harem and protect his balls…"

  He complained while humming a tune he particularly enjoyed back on Earth.

  "But wow, I impress myself sometimes. Uncle James would be proud."

  "Ilaina, it's time for us to meet. Get ready for the time of your life!"

  "So you say. But don't forget that people with higher cultivation bases can easily see through your disguise. That means any head eunuch or head palace maid. That means the Ilaina gal too."

  Of course, the system wasn't going to let him get too comfy and struck at his enthusiasm without a shred of mercy. This time, however, Konnor was undisturbed.

  "Don't worry. The only person I will expose myself to today is Ilaina, and I can guarantee you that she won't reveal my disguise."

  "What makes you so confident?"

  "I calculated with my fingers!"

  Chapter 8 - Bargaining for a Date

  There were three central parts to a eunuch's attire. The blue robe, the red hat, and the box. The box was tied to their belt and contained their "removed part" which they always carried on them due to the common belief that dying without a complete body would prevent reincarnation.

  The hat was large enough to cover most of their forehead and was in itself a reminder that they should often lower their heads and look toward the ground. Eunuchs were not treated as men and were not expected to act like men. Although they wielded significant power within the inner court, they often walked and ran with slouched backs, except when dealing with individuals of equal or lower positions.

  Strict hierarchy was the heart of the Holy Flame Empire.

  At fast pace, Konnor carried the fabrics through the streets of the inner court and arrived in front of Ilaina's embroidery pavilion. At the door, two maids stood guard.

  "What's your purpose?"

  "Delivery of embroidery fabrics."

  "Identity token?"

  Their robotic tone was commonplace among palace maids tasked with guard duties and inspections. Konnor presented the eunuch's token, and after inspecting it, they recorded his name and time of entrance, then let him in.

  "Head Palace Maid Ilaina has been waiting for the supplies. Hurry in."

  "Yes!"

  Konnor adopted a deferential tone, maintained his back slumped to match the eunuch whose identity he stole and walked in.

  The road left no room for ambiguity, and in less than a minute, he reached the central office in which several maids dutifully handled their embroidery tasks. Threads and needles intertwined and moved at breakneck speed, with the maids' focused eyes never shifting from their work. Order, discipline and efficiency drove the workshop.

  They were led by a tall palace maid dressed in a close-fitting cyan robe that perfectly highlighted her well-proportioned curves. There was no excess in them, and they couldn't be compared to the likes of Faidra and Aliki. However, they only served to enhance the remarkability of her face.

  A beauty that eclipsed a field of blossoming flowers. Her silky green hairs were held in the traditional bun allowed for head palace maids, and her slit emerald eyes contained inviolable pride and dignity which when combined with her lamia bloodline and cultivation base, gave her a natural, compelling aura that would lead normal men astray without them ever realizing it.

  In his past life, Konnor had seen many beauties. But they were after all mortal without any striking aura to boost their presence. With time, all of them became mundane, and it was nigh impossible for him to stare due to a woman's appearance. But for an instant, he stared.

  "A woman not to be trifled with."

  That was his first assessment, and playfulness stepped aside for seriousness.

  "This world is different from the Earth you came from. The powerful races often all possess their own unique charm while those with high cultivation bases also boast preternatural presences. That woman is at the eighth step of the True Knight Rank, and very close to the ninth. That matched with her natural assets, it is normal for you to feel dazed. In the future, you will have more surprises."

  Informed the system in a relaxed tone.

  Maintaining his slouched posture, Konnor stepped toward her at a hurried pace and presented the fabrics' container.

  "The head eunuch sends his regards."

  And at the moment she laid her eyes on him, Konnor used his Female Dream Theft ability and peered into her core, most primitive fantasy.

  What he saw didn't startle him. But the system which shared his visuals was perplexed.

  Ilaina's slit eyes glanced at the eunuch for an instant, but before they bypassed him, she spotted an anomaly that arched her rounded eyebrows.

  "The head eunuch mentioned that the head maid was graced with good fortune and would soon see her wish fulfilled."

  And in a flash, her face contorted into a deep frown which then vanished as if nothing had happened.

  "Is that so? Is the head eunuch flattering me to make up for the quality of the fabric? I need to review them to make sure you're not trying to swindle us. Come with me."

  She ordered and led the way toward her private quarters.

  In silence, Konnor followed, never letting his gaze rise until they passed the entrance toward her bedroom. Unlike their inferiors, head palace maids and eunuchs possessed their own private quarters which they could set up to their liking.

  "Daring to use such parlor tricks to disguise yourself in the inner court. Is it bravery, or is it stupidity?"

  Her sharp, chilling tone carried a threatening vibe that would put most ill at ease. But knowing full well that this was nothing more than a test, Konnor remained unfazed.

  "The difference between the two is the likelihood of success. If you dare, you must have some confidence in your odds. Otherwise, it is indeed stupidity."

  "And since I dare, I am of course fully prepared."

  "Is that so? Well, I care not about your appearance. What I care about is the words you spoke of before. Can you really provide me with a high-grade True Spirit Restoration pill?"

  From the words spoken earlier, she had deduced that he brought with him the promise of a True Spirit Restoration pill. For the sake of that item, she could look beyond his disguise.

  "I can indeed. In fact, I can guarantee, you will obtain them by tomorrow evening."

  Having slouched for too long, Konnor sat within the rattan chair in the corner of the room and exhaled a long breath.

  Ilaina paid no heed to his rudeness.

  "How many can you obtain?"

  "How many do you need?"

  "Two!"

  "Then I can get you two."

  "What do you want for it?"

  Anyone that did some digging would know that she could not afford those pills so if he came to her, it couldn't be for money.

  "What are you not willing to give me?"

  Konnor inquired while locking his piercing gaze on her to observe any potential change.

  "As long as it doesn't go against my conscience, there is nothing I cannot give you."
>
  The determination within her voice made her statement look irrevocable.

  Inwardly, Konnor was startled. It seemed he had underestimated the value she attached to those pills.

  "It seems you care deeply for the person you want to save."