X Dynasty~Concubine Selection part 3: Ending the Selection as Other Chaos will Come Again
Prince Regent Issa's POV
After a long process of concubine selection, it's approaching its end. Another sigh escaped my lips. The final competition will be held by me.
Stepping out from the big hall, I could hear girls having small conversations with each other. I scanned the room with my piercing azure eyes across the room to find the red-eyed girl casually sitting while admiring the view of the garden.
Unlike other girls, she is just there sitting silently and never had any interaction with other girls. Deciding to break the small chats comprising every second, I smudged the table beside me to call the vigilance of everyone in the hall.
"Silence!" I quieted them down. All eyes averted on me, including the golden-haired girl. Her eyes met mine for a moment, then she looked away again with a blush on her features.
I too, felt blood scurrying on my cheeks. I cleared my throat. "Everyone, this will be the last session of the competition. The last contest would be martial arts, where all of you will exhibit your martial arts in front of me, the Crown Prince, Crown Princess, and the two Martial Master that we invited over there." I declared openly, averting my gaze to the two martial masters.
As the competition begins, my mind wandered to the golden-haired girl. I don't remember her name at all but she has my attention. Her poem and calligraphy are not bad, her needlework is above the average, she can ride a horse too. Let's see if she can do martial arts.
Pouring another cup of tea, I lifted my head as soon as I saw the golden-haired girl approach us. "What was her name again?" I asked the Crown Prince beside me. "Kira Luna, Your Highness." The Crown Prince responded.
"Miss Luna, please get ready." Hearing her name being dubbed by the Master of Competition, I instantly perked up my head and gave my full attention to the girl before us.
'I see. Her martial arts are also not bad. More graceful than the others. But I guess there's something pessimistic about her skills. I have to observe her, she might be more formidable than I suspected. I can't let her be the concubine of the Prince. ' I thought, then called the attention of the guard that escorted me all the way here. "Prepare the dress," I instructed. "As you wish." He answered then leave without any second thoughts.
"Please select the qualified ones, masters." The Master of Ceremony announced.
"Taking your signal, I am the first one to comment." Crown Princess commenced. "As a martial artist for years, I can say that these girls' martial arts are not that bad. Some of them might not have mastered the top-tier skills that take years to master it, that's why some of them fail to gracefully wrap up the move." The Crown Princess explained. I agree with her. They all can be graceful and powerful as long as they built up and mastered the top-tier skills to every move before joining here, just like the Princess in her younger years.
"So for me, only three of them passed—as for only a little practice needed then they can land the move flawlessly. The two miss of Luna family and Hana. These three certainly can be good, just master the top-tier skills for some time." The Princess remarked.
Three girls stepped forward as they are nominated by the Princess. Followed by a salute, they thanked the Princess. "Thank you Princess for nominating us."
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After the long boring lecturing of the old martial masters, it's finally my turn to select. "Kira, Kizuku, Ichisaki" I pinpoint the three, which earned surprised gasps from the people at the hall as soon as they hear me call Kira by her name.
"What?" I groaned, quieting down all of them. Can't they stop being stunned?! Isn't it strange if I call her by her last name? Come on, there's two Luna here!
After me, the Master of Competition proclaimed the tally. In the end, there are only four of them left—the two Miss of Luna, Kizuku, and Ichisaki.
I stand up to finish off the competition, it's my job today to end this event. "Congratulations to all competitors! The competition has eventually come to an end without having a catastrophe. Thanks to our God, the competition has successfully ended!" I started. People in the hall started to kowtow and praise God for the prosperous event.
"Four ladies, please come and take the lead of the head maid to get your respective wardrobes. Then move forward to Ancestral Hall for the formal ceremony." I proclaimed, terminating the speech with a glance at the head maid.
The head maid immediately guided the girls to change outfits. All of them have received a similar color and style of dress, except for Kira.
"U-uhmm...Master...The clothes prepared for me seem wrong. It has different styles and colors, please examine it." I heard. She inquired the head maid with her soft voice that sounded like a calming wind during the summer.
"This..." The head maid trailed off as soon as she saw the clothes on Kira's hands. She has never seen that kind of dress before because I never took a girl before.
"That's from the Regent's mansion," I answered, closing my eyes.
"P-Prince Regent...T-that means.... She's gonna be your wife?!" The head maid asked, shocked by the turns of events.
"Is there something wrong with that?" I asked her, mentally tormenting her with my piercing stare at her.
"No, nothing's wrong Your Highness! I'll take my break now!" She hurriedly came out of the room, leaving only me and Kira.
"Don't you like it?" I asked Kira coldly. Taking a closer glimpse at her, she has a delicate frame. But how come she can do that move without a fail?
"U-Uhm...I like it very much, Your Highness!" She exclaimed, embarrassed by the twists of events.
"Good, I thought you didn't like it," I said. Leaving the golden-haired girl alone in the room for her to change her clothes.
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After wearing their respective dresses, all of us headed to Ancestral Hall to meet His Majesty.
"Greetings, Your Majesty." That was all I uttered before crouching in front of the Emperor.
"You may now rise, Prince Regent. You didn't deviate from us. So please, drop the formalities." The Emperor shook off, completely amused that the selection has succeeded without his help. "The Prince Regent played a big role during the event. Reward the Prince Regent with golds and valuable war equipment." The Emperor proclaimed.
I bowed down. "Thank you Your Highness for everything. I would like to have one more request, Your Majesty if you allow it." I said plainly, I want to observe her closely or else it will cause chaos to the Palace if I let this suspicious girl become the concubine of the Crown Prince.
"What is it?" The Emperor asked, indicating that he is generous enough to grant my wish.
'Good chance.' I smirked. Without glancing at the Emperor, I responded. "Responding to the Emperor, Your Highness, will you permit me to marry Kira Luna from the Luna family?" All of the people around the hall gasped, they can't believe that their cold-blooded Prince Regent will marry someone. Before little conversations began to construct, the Emperor cleared his throat to speak.
"Hahaha.." The Emperor chuckled lightly. "I told you, you can choose your wife during the concubine selection of the Crown Prince. If you desire, then I'll permit it. Prepare your wedding in a month." He said with a smile, well I am not sure if he gave me a genuine smile or a cunning smile. He's a cunning Emperor after all.
"Thank you, Your Highness!"
"You, ask the Luna family to prepare their Miss for her and Prince Regent's wedding, send her with carriage and let the Prince Regent deal with the dowry." The Emperor ordered his butler.
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The ceremony for welcoming the new concubines and my soon-to-be wife took longer than I anticipated. I also sent back Kira from Luna's residence and opposed the marriage with her parents. They both instantly agreed with the marriage that will be held in a month.
With a sigh, I trudged down to my residence with my cousin concealed as my maid.
"So what's your agenda? Are planning to get her back?" I inquired, both of our azure eyes met halfway.
Removing the pin on his hair, he sighs. "Now that I think about it, she appears happy and satisfied with the life she has now. If I go and get her back to me, I guess it will just mess everything up." He said, brown hair falling.
"Kai...." I trailed off. Kai is my cousin, but I never met him until last week. I just recognized him with the jade pendant that he wore the day we met. It's my uncle's jade pendant, uncle and father have the same pattern of a jade pendant since both of them came from royalty. That's why I immediately recognized it from the moment I saw it.
"You know, you are supposed to be the Crown Prince. But that damn Emperor snatched everything from us...Including my parents." I said, tightening my fists.
"I know, I also feel bad for uncle and aunt, our family...Thanks for your assistance, cousin." He mumbled then bowed down on me.
"Don't sweat it. Just inform me if you feel like meeting her. I will do my best to help you." I said going in from my room, getting ready to retire after a long day.
"Ah. Before I go back to my room..." He hesitates before uttering again, finding the right phrases to convey what is going on in his mind. "...Are you sure about marrying her? I mean look at her, she looks suspicious for me. The way she moves and everything. I speculate there's something wrong..." He trailed off.
"That's why I'm marrying her, she's suspicious. I can't let her have full access to the Palace. You know, it's part of Prince Regent's job to make sure the Crown Prince is safe. I know I should not protect this Royal family, I should hate all of them...But he has nothing to do with all of the Emperor's mess. He is innocent, he is just a puppet for the Emperor. I'll settle the score with the Emperor without foul play...Something like that." I explained. Well, all of them see me as the cold-blooded Prince Regent. But the reality is, I've been living with so much hatred for the current Emperor—it's like my purpose for living. I am not that cold, I also care for the people around me, encompassing the son of that cunning Emperor.
"I see. I'll go back to my room then. Goodnight, cous--Your Highness." He said, getting ready to step his feet out of my room.
"Big brother"
He halted. "Come again?" He is confused.
"Just call me big brother if there's only two of us."
He nods, understanding what am I saying. "I see, goodnight, big brother!" He said with a smile on his face.