The temple servant approached, carrying Ineah's clothes. Ineah opened his eyes and emerged from the water. The servant helped him dress and silently followed him to his room.
"I will go to bed now. You may leave," Ineah said. The servants bowed and exited the room.
He stood by the window, staring at the moon hanging in the night sky. It reminded him of the night he first arrived at the temple — a night under a full moon. The priests had been performing a ritual by the sacred lake, praying for peace across the empire, when suddenly, Ineah had burst forth from the water, gasping for air and thrashing as if drowning.
The priests were stunned. They rushed to pull him out, calling the servants for help. When they finally dragged his unconscious body ashore, their shock turned to awe. They fell to their knees, praising the heavens. It was a miracle! The young man lying before them looked exactly like the late Paladin. They believed their prayers had been answered — that heaven had sent them the Paladin's reincarnation.
From that night on, Ineah was treated with special reverence. Soon, he would be granted one of the highest ranks within the temple.
But Ineah heaved a deep sigh. Though they revered him, he longed to leave this place and find his brothers. The problem was, he didn't even know where he was, or what was happening beyond the temple walls. He had only heard whispers — that a war was raging across the empire. If only he could leave without drawing suspicion, but the temple was heavily guarded. Besides, he wasn't sure if it would be safe for him outside these protective walls. He had no knowledge of this world.
Ineah was the son of Ivan and Kaye — a stoic and quiet young man, with pale skin and a gaze that rarely wavered. Though reserved, he was never afraid to voice his thoughts, and he spoke with a straightforwardness that left little room for misunderstanding. He was skilled in combat and had once excelled in basketball. Before he had somehow ended up in this strange place, he had run his own car shop — fixing, selling, and collecting cars. His favorite had been a prized Toyota Supra.
Ineah walked to his bed, feeling the weight of longing in his chest, and soon drifted into an uneasy sleep.
The next morning, a temple elder summoned him.
"Prepare yourself," the elder said. "We are to visit the imperial palace to offer prayers for the emperor's health."
Ineah clenched his fists, feeling his heart pounding in his chest. Then he placed a hand over his heart and exhaled slowly.
Finally... he would be able to leave the temple.
.
.
.
....
On that same night...
Jinny woke to the sound of loud knocking at her door. Still groggy, she quickly got up and opened it. A knight stood there, informing her that the emperor had summoned her to serve him that night.
Letting out a deep sigh, Jinny tried to compose herself. She washed up and changed into fresh clothes before making her way to Matias's chambers, carrying a tray of tea and snacks. After knocking softly, she heard his voice from within, commanding her to enter.
When she stepped inside, she found him sitting on the edge of his bed, wearing a loosely tied robe that revealed part of his chest and well-defined abs.
She swallowed hard and quickly averted her gaze, bowing low.
"Good evening, Your Majesty," she said quietly.
She moved to the table, carefully setting down the food and pouring a cup of tea to offer him. But before she could present it properly, Matias reached out and grabbed her hand. Startled, she lost hold of the cup; it fell to the floor and shattered into pieces.
"Y-Your Majesty..." she stammered, wide-eyed.
Matias pulled her closer and inhaled deeply, taking in the scent of her fragrance.
"You must be bored, locked away in your room," he murmured. "There are... matters I need to attend to."
"You don't have to explain, Your Majesty," Jinny said quickly, lowering her head.
Matias tilted her chin up, forcing her to meet his gaze.
"Those matters have left me exhausted," he said, his voice low and rough. "I want you to accompany me tonight."
Without giving her a chance to respond, he pushed her down onto the bed.
"Y-Your Majesty, what are you—what are you doing?" she panicked, her heart racing.
Was he going to force her again? Fear gripped her chest so tightly she could hardly breathe.
"Sshhh..." he whispered against her skin. "I don't want to hear any complaints. Just stay quiet and obey me."
He pressed his lips to her neck, while his hands moved to undo her clothes.
"B-But, Your Majesty... t-this is wrong..." she whimpered, tears welling up in her eyes.
Matias paused, frowning as he noticed the tears streaming down her cheeks.
"Are you afraid of me?" he asked, his voice quieter now.
Jinny didn't respond, her sobs growing heavier.
Matias's patience began to fray. He exhaled sharply and stared at her intently.
"I promised to protect you," he said, his voice firm. "And you promised to stay by my side. In exchange for that protection, you must obey my orders. Is that so hard to understand?"
Jinny covered her mouth, trying to stifle her cries.
If this was the price for her protection, she would not accept it, even if it killed her.
Matias clenched his fists. Time was running out.
On top of that, his siblings from the other world had appeared. They might be blood relatives, but he was determined — the throne must be secured for his own heir, even if that heir were born from a mere servant.
Taking a steadying breath, Matias calmed himself and gently caressed Jinny's face.
"Listen to me..." he said, his voice low and controlled. "I won't harm you. I'm doing this because... I like you."
Jinny's eyes widened in surprise. Her heart began to race once again.
Was it true?
Did the emperor... like her?
But how could that be? She was nothing more than a lowly servant, with no status or background in this world.
"Look at me, Jinny," he said.
Slowly, she lifted her gaze and stared into his eyes. She could see it — a sincerity that made her breath catch.
"I like you," he repeated softly. "And once this war is over, I will make you my consort."
Could he truly mean it?
Was this really happening?
"Will you believe me?" he asked, his voice almost tender.
Jinny, so innocent and trusting, gave a small nod.
For the first time, Matias smiled — a genuine, unguarded smile.
He leaned down and captured her lips in a passionate kiss.
Jinny, weak against his warmth and touch, found herself responding. The kiss deepened, becoming hungry and torrid. Clothes were shed between hurried touches — first hers, then his.
Jinny squeezed her eyes shut as she felt him pressing against her. Her nails dug into his back as he entered her, the sharp sting of pain making her gasp.
But as Matias moved slowly and carefully, the pain began to fade, replaced by a rising heat that drew a moan from her lips.
Soon, he moved faster, deeper, and Jinny couldn't hold back the soft moans slipping from her lips.
She could hardly believe it — they were doing this again.
But this time, something had changed. The emperor had confessed his feelings.
She would trust him.
The room filled with her moans and his low groans as they moved together, lost in each other until the first light of dawn seeped through the windows.
All the while, Matias made sure of one thing — that she would soon bear his child.