Chapter 28
I followed Arin into a greenhouse boasting a fantastic view.
As I walked for about five minutes, leisurely, listening to the cheerful sound of raindrops bouncing off the glass walls, an open space revealed itself.
Near a tea table stood Huirem, leisurely enjoying the scent of the flowers.
When she noticed our presence, I greeted her with a certain formality, as Aziz had taught me.
“May the blessings and glory of the gods be with the Sultan forever. Ishtar greets you.”
“Ho, it seems Aziz properly taught you the kingdom’s etiquette,” she said.
“…I apologize.”
“But I don’t care much for such formalities. Come, sit comfortably.”
I gestured to Arin to wait here, then approached the tea table and sat down alone.
Huirem, now in human form, was still sensuous and beautiful.
I was captivated by her luscious red hair cascading like waves and stared at her absentmindedly.
“Hehe. Why are you staring so blankly? You were cute as a cat, and you’re quite similar in human form,” she teased.
Realizing my rudeness, I quickly snapped out of it.
“I’m sorry. You’re just too beautiful.”
“Oh, thank you. But you’re not too shabby yourself. No wonder my son takes an interest in you.”
“…Excuse me?”
My breath caught at the sudden mention of Suleiman.
‘Takes an interest…? What does that mean?’
Could it be that the conversation is going the way I feared—“I won’t give my son to you!”?
“Shall we start with some tea?”
Before Huirem’s calm yet authoritative voice even finished, the nearby servants appeared as if from nowhere.
They had been so silent that I could have mistaken them for assassins, but their attire and demeanor clearly marked them as genuine attendants.
With an elegance uncommon for mere servants, they brewed the tea leaves and poured the steaming tea into cups.
The faint sound of sipping tea mixed with the soft patter of rain filled the space.
After taking three sips of the richly rose-scented tea, Huirem looked at me and smiled radiantly.
“So, you’re comfortable living in the palace?”
“Yes. Everyone takes care of me well, so I’m managing quite comfortably.”
“The palace feels brighter since you arrived. It’s all thanks to you,” she said.
Suspecting that Huirem, a seasoned courtier, might be speaking indirectly, I furrowed my brows.
“I don’t think the palace is brighter because of me alone. Is there something you’d like to say?”
“Hehe, you’re perceptive. Don’t worry. I called you here today simply because I wanted to spend time with you. I’d only heard that you regained human form, but I haven’t seen it with my own eyes,” she explained.
I pretended to sip my rose tea while sneaking a glance at Huirem.
‘Why did she call me? Just out of curiosity, maybe.’
Even though she wore her usual playful expression, she didn’t seem upset with me.
Click. Placing her cup down, she smiled softly and spoke.
“I’ve ordered that no one approach the prince’s palace where Suleiman resides for a while. He never cared about women, but he’s changed quite a bit since you arrived.”
“Perhaps he’s just embarrassed. Everyone probably assumes I’m his mistress, so it’s understandable from his perspective,” I replied.
“Hmm, is that really so?”
Huirem’s meaningful smile carried a mischievous aura reminiscent of Aziz.
Slightly annoyed, I asked her bluntly.
“What is the real reason the Sultan invited me? I’m not one to appreciate beating around the bush.”
“Oh, you understand so well. I can’t stand wasting time either,” she said with a cheerful laugh.
Despite sounding slightly cheeky, Huirem seemed rather pleased.
“Before being a Sultan, I am Suleiman’s mother. I wanted to see with my own eyes what kind of person you are, living with my son. Does that make sense?”
“…Surely you’re not suspicious of me?”
“Not at all. I’d rather entrust my son to you. He’s lacking in many ways, so care for him well. If you do, I swear on my honor to take care of you for life.”
“For life?”
“Yes. I plan to make Suleiman Sultan within a few years and then step down. There will be obstacles along the way, but if you endure them, I’ll grant you anything you wish.”
My eyes sparkled at her mention of “anything.”
“Can you promise that?”
“Of course. If you like, I can even draft a document with conditions. But verbal agreement will do for now. What is it that you want most?”
Huirem’s soft tone made me swallow nervously.
‘In Korea, real estate is king… but what should I ask for here?!’
Still unfamiliar with the kingdom, I had no idea about efficient financial planning.
Honestly, I wanted to say:
“Lots of money! A few houses and a seaside villa, and some cats too, so I can live peacefully in my old age!”
…But revealing such selfish desires now wouldn’t be wise.
After a moment’s thought, I spoke my most important wish.
“Freedom. I want freedom.”
“…Freedom?”
“Yes. Once Suleiman becomes Sultan, I want to choose where I live freely. Whether I stay here or go to another country, I want it to be my choice.”
Huirem looked at me with an expression that seemed completely unexpected.
‘That expression does remind me of Suleiman a bit.’
Though Suleiman didn’t resemble Huirem physically, they shared a captivating charm and that peculiar, piercing gaze.
“You are truly an unusual child. Most would scramble to enter the palace, let alone leave it,” she said.
I recalled Theron, who once complained about feeling trapped in the palace.
But I saw no need to bring him up here, so I shrugged and replied.
“Your son sometimes tells me the same thing. Well, to be precise, I come from another world, so my basic values might differ.”
“I see. It would be strange to impose this world’s standards on you. Hehe.”
Huirem chuckled with a meaningful smile.
Then, in the gentlest voice I had ever heard from her, she said:
“By the honor of Huirem Azna, ninth Sultan, I will grant your request, Ishtar.”
Should I thank her? Of course I want my right to freedom.
Yet for a ruler of a kingdom to be this gracious was remarkable.
“Thank you. And about the document you mentioned earlier… I’d like some time to think. I still don’t know much about this place.”
“Take your time. I’ll give Aziz a parchment with my seal, so you can write down your thoughts whenever you wish.”
I nodded and sipped the now slightly cooled rose tea.
No sooner had I finished than the servants appeared to refill my cup.
After that, Huirem and I quietly chatted while drinking tea.
Huirem turned out to be a very pleasant conversationalist.
She seemed genuinely delighted, saying, “It’s been a long time since I’ve had such a pleasant chat.”
Perhaps it was because I wasn’t a subordinate or a noble, making me easier to talk to.
I didn’t feel burdened by her either, and after tea, we strolled together through the greenhouse.
“This greenhouse is huge and amazing. There are many plants I’ve never seen before,” I said.
“Yes. The previous Sultan gifted me this greenhouse when I was young. It was also the place he proposed to me,” Huirem revealed.
Hearing an unexpected love story from her, my eyes widened.
She gazed wistfully at the tall glass ceiling, lost in memories.
“When I first met Mahmet, I thought he was an ordinary soldier. It made sense, meeting him dressed as a soldier in the market.”
I realized Mahmet was Suleiman’s father and Huirem’s late husband, and I kept my mouth shut.
“I don’t know if you’ve heard, but I was born a commoner—well, from a fallen noble family, to be exact.”
“Yes… I’ve heard that before,” I replied.
“Mahmet and I fell in love without knowing each other’s status. We were so drawn to one another that nothing else existed,” she said softly, caressing a nearby red rose.
“He always called me a rose. Probably because of my red hair,” she added.
“Such a romantic person,” I murmured.
“He was only like that with me. Even when he went to war, he sent poems daily, as if he would live forever, leaving me with a heavy burden,” Huirem said, smiling faintly.
Though outwardly charming, I sensed her deep sorrow through our conversation.
The queen before me was longing for someone she could never see again.
For the first time, I thought Huirem seemed lonely and melancholic.
“Strangely, I talk so freely in front of you. This kind of story is usually boring,” she said.
“Not at all,” I replied.
“Hehe, you’re a kind child. Today feels strange… perhaps it’s the weather,” she added.
“The weather?” I asked.
“Yes. It rained like this that day too. He held my hand and promised to spend his life with me.”
