Free Web NovelChapter 31: The Harem’s Villains
Seraphel
The moment my boots clicked into the room, a wave of loud whispers and murmurs erupted across the hall. Faces turned, fingers pointed, and eyes tracked my every move, but I kept my chin held high, making sure I didn’t look weak or glance sideways. I marched straight through the crowd until I finally reached the front platform where the top four sat.
"Young masters, this is His Highness’s chosen one, Seraphel," one of the palace servants introduced, stepping forward with a low bow. "He is the one currently carrying the child of the prophecy."
"Oh, really?" a sharp, mocking voice sneered immediately.
It was Lioren. He was staring down his nose at me with absolute, undisguised contempt. He had long, flowing dark hair that contrasted with his pale skin, and his lips curled into a nasty smirk.
"When I first heard the wild rumors flying around the palace, I actually thought it would be someone special, someone breathtakingly beautiful. But he is just plain.
How on earth is someone like this supposed to carry the child of our Prince?" His condescending tone quickly morphed into a loud, dramatic mockery as he slowly began fanning himself with an elegant feather fan. "I firmly believe he is nothing but a scam, a complete fraud, and His Highness deserves to know the truth."
His harsh words immediately caused the rest of the lower concubines in the room to burst into loud, cruel laughter.
Lioren was the fourth-ranked concubine in the harem, and out of the top four, he was the one rarely seen in Azriel’s bed.
According to Author Nude’s plot, he had only managed to secure his high rank because of his father’s powerful position on the High Council. ƒгeewёbnovel.com
I heaved a slow, patient sigh as the giggles from the rest of the omega concubines finally died down. Analisse opened her mouth, clearly trying to say something to defend me, but I stepped in front of her.
This was my fight, and back in my world, I never backed down from a confrontation.
"Lioren, right?" I asked smoothly. I let out a low, confident chuckle that made his eyes instantly snap wide. He pointed his fan at me, his mouth opening to snap back, but I cut him off without a shred of hesitation. "My pregnancy," I said, injecting pure pride into my voice even though a part of my modern brain wanted to bite my tongue off for saying it, "has already been completely confirmed by the High Priest and the Prince himself. So why exactly do you think I am a scam or a fraud?"
Lioren’s fan trembled in his hand as he stuttered, completely unable to find a quick comeback. "You..."
"Exactly. I may be plain to you, but His Highness clearly finds me incredibly attractive. After all, he spent the entire night with me, and he explicitly told me that he hadn’t experienced such incredible, mind-blowing pleasure like that in a very long time." I made sure the dripping sarcasm and condescension in my tone were loud and clear for the entire room to hear.
Two can play at this game, but only one wins, bitch, I thought bitterly.
The reaction to my words was immediate and chaotic. The entire hall erupted into frantic chatter, the concubines murmuring loudly among themselves and pointing wildly.
"He must be lying!"
"There is no way!"
"His Highness never allows anyone to serve him outside of the official concubines, unless it’s the night of his rut!"
Lioren slammed his fan down, leaping out of his chair as he yelled at the top of his lungs. "You insolent liar! Do you know that I could order for your tongue to be cut right out of your mouth this very second if you aren’t careful?!"
I just stood there and smiled right in his angry face. "Why would you ever dare to cut the tongue of someone who serves His Highness so intimately? Especially when your own rank is a little lower than theirs. I mean..." I slowly tilted my head to the side, deliberately pulling down the collar of my robe to expose the side of my neck. I touched the skin, and on command, the dark mark of lust began to glow with a faint, pulsing crimson light.
"I also happen to bear the mark of Lust itself, which inherently makes my rank higher than any of you in this hall. For those who carry the mark are bound to be fated mates."
The reaction this time was completely deafening. The sight of the glowing mark actually caused Eiren to lean forward in his seat, his golden eyes narrowing into a sharp, piercing glare as he stared intensely at my neck, then up into my eyes.
I couldn’t quite figure out what he was thinking based on his guarded expression, but a cold shiver ran down my spine. I could tell from the sudden, suffocating shift in the room’s energy that I had just dug my own grave.
Eiren’s eyes flashed with a dangerous, toxic envy, and he wasn’t the only one. Kaevian, Lioren, and Slyven all stared down at me with pure, unadulterated contempt and jealousy.
Oh, what the hell have you done, Nathan? I questioned myself internally, a sudden wave of panic hitting me.
Why the hell did I shoot myself in the foot like that, knowing damn well from the novel that these four were Azriel’s top, most ruthless concubines? Why did I have to react so arrogantly?
The other omegas wouldn’t stop bickering until Kaevian suddenly burst into a loud, melodic fit of laughter.
The grand hall went dead silent in an instant. Kaevian was the palace’s legendary dancer and Azriel’s second-ranked concubine.
According to Author Nude, he was a gorgeous man with smooth brown skin, deep hazel eyes, and dark, curly hair with striking red tips. He rarely allowed Azriel to visit his quarters, only holding his elite title because Azriel owed him a massive personal favor after Kaevian performed a legendary dance for him one night.
"I actually like you, new one," Kaevian purred, his voice carrying a heavy layer of condescension but no direct malice. He turned his head slightly toward the center chair. "I told you two nights ago, Eiren, when the Prince completely skipped visiting your quarters, that he was definitely occupying himself with someone else. It is just a massive shame that someone isn’t you." He let out a mocking tutting sound and laughed again.
"Oh, shut your mouth, Kaevian," Slyven snapped, shifting uncomfortably in his seat. He glared down at me, his green eyes burning with rage. He was dressed in billowing, emerald-green robes that shifted like waves with every movement. "He is nothing but a temporary vessel for the child of prophecy. A useless human at that. What exactly do you think you’re going to accomplish by coming into our hall and bragging about the Prince like a whore?!" he yelled angrily.
I grinned right back at him, my confidence returning. "Something you’ve never managed to achieve."
Slyven stood up instantly, stomping his foot hard against the stone floor, his green silk robes snapping around his ankles as he pointed a trembling finger straight at my face. "You insolent bastard!" he screamed, his face flushing with fury.
I rolled my eyes.
Slyven was notoriously the most hot-headed, easily angered individual among the top tier, and he ranked third in the harem. He was constantly at odds with Eiren, always desperately competing for Azriel’s fleeting attention. According to the original plot, Slyven genuinely believed he was the one fated to spend eternity with the Prince.
"You—"
"Enough."
A soft, incredibly delicate voice echoed through the grand hall, and the entire room froze, the chaotic noise instantly dying out.
Finally, Eiren was speaking. He slowly stood up from his prominent seat, his ethereal, flowing blue robes draping gracefully around his slender frame. Author Nude had described his beauty as something entirely otherworldly; he had pale, delicate skin, soft ginger hair interwoven with shimmering strands of gold, and a face so stunning it looked like a painted masterpiece.
"Everyone should just shut up," he warned quietly, his voice calm yet carrying an undeniable authority as he began taking slow, deliberate steps down the platform toward me.
Here comes the real villain, I thought, my muscles tensing because I knew his character background inside out. I knew the unimaginable, horrific things he had secretly done to lower-ranking concubines throughout the course of the novel. But as he walked closer to me, a warm, perfectly sweet smile formed on his beautiful face.
When he finally reached where I stood, he reached out, gently grabbing my hand and softly rubbing the back of it, the sweet smile never leaving his lips.
"Hello, Seraphel. I am Eiren."
