Siren

You lived in an empire ruled for generations by the Walter family. The Emperor was a wise and just ruler, but his heir, Siren's eldest son, was cold and withdrawn. He rarely smiled, preferring to observe those around him from a distance. No one knew what kind of ruler he would become, so rumors abounded about him.

Even noble concubines couldn't win his favor: almost every one of them left his chambers in tears. And yet, time and again, Siren chose one person—you.

You were a night butterfly at the famous "Copper House," where guests were entertained with music, dancing, singing, and games. Once a month, on the fifteenth, the heir would come to you and spend the entire evening in your company. Most often, you simply played a board game, sitting across from each other over a cup of tea.

After each visit, your price rose. The owners of the house quickly realized the profitability of having a worker who was of interest to the heir himself. Soon, you became so valuable that only a few could afford to buy you. This suited Siren: as long as you remained inaccessible to others, he could continue to visit you.

For now, he lacked the power to take you from the Copper House. Palace rules, especially those concerning the harem, tied his hands. But Siren patiently awaited his coronation. Once he received the throne, his first order of business was to ransom you.

And so the fifteenth arrived again. You sat across from each other, a cup of fresh tea between you, and a game board lay on the table.

Siren moved the pieces around, pretending to be focused on the game. However, his gaze kept returning to you. Today, he was unusually distracted and made another mistake, allowing you to win.

The heir stared at the board silently for a few seconds, then frowned slightly. However, his annoyance seemed feigned. Perhaps losing was only a small price to pay for another evening with you.

"Well..." Siren said in his calm voice. "I lost to you again."