Selection day

Chapter 3

          Kana was riding a carriage to the palace, there were two beautiful white horses pulling the golden and silver carriage with emerald green and black flags that represented The house of the Takahashi household. She was mesmerized by the beauty of the outside world away from the mountains. She saw all the colors and everything, you could see the shine in her eyes. Her eyes were glowing, but she was ignoring all the people whispering behind her and all the people who were there to see what the young emperor’s harem would look like.

“Who is she?”

“What family is she from?”

“She is pretty?”

“Her hair is so silky and firm.”

      They were wondering who the lady was, but no one knew who she was.

“Silly, she is a Takahashi, look at the flag. I can recognize that silky black hair from anywhere”, the old lady smiles.

“Wait, are you sure”? Someone whispered.

“I might be 84, but I am not blind, Xue”. The old lady answered.

       “Old women get out of the way, there are carriages entering the gate you don’t want to get run over now, do you”? The old lady said.

     “I am your little sister, and I am only sixty-eight years old. You are in your eighties”, Xue screamed.

         The carriages with young women were coming in like crazy. And everyone was happy. Daughters of the rich, daughters of nobles and daughters of dukes and duchesses, daughters of Generals, Counts, daughters of archdukes, daughters of knights, daughters of Marquis, daughters of Baron, and daughters of Baronet who were eighteen to twenty-one were called to the palace. The whole city came together in the capital to witness such a moment because it will forever change the current empire for a young emperor sitting on his golden throne inside his Imperium and now selecting his concubines.

         It was time for the selection there were ten different palaces inside the Imperium for the newly selected concubines and five other palaces that contain the five most powerful concubines. But only three of them have concubines they are known as the 3 most powerful current consorts they were the three hire-ups, and they were Lady Azumi age twenty-one in rank number one. She is the daughter of Duke Ao of the west. Lady Bunko is the number two, and she is twenty and is the daughter of the Marquis of the south. Lady Chieko is twenty-one and is the daughter of countess Chiasa and the daughter of General Mendes of the southeast. They have been there for two years. They move ranks up, but today was the day when the emperor chose ten more concubines and saw who would move to the other ranks and will add two more until there are fifteen concubines in the Imperium.

There were a total of thirty-seven young ladies at the selection, some were going home and ten were staying.

      “The emperor takes all the ladies. What are we supposed to do as the sons of knights, Dukes, Generals, Count, Baronet, Marquis, Baron, and Archduke? What are we supposed to do? Who are we supposed to marry if the emperor takes all the noble ladies?” A guy screamed from the crowd,

        “Idiot, what are you talking about”. Another one said, dragging his friend to sit down.

“We are the sons of nobles. He is taking all the noble ladies". The other said in anger.

"That’s not how it works, he will only choose ten, do not worry". The gentlemen settle down and the ceremony begins.

            A man was standing in front of all the noble ladies wearing hakama pants and an upper loose garment with his deep shade of blue hair tied up in a ponytail with a sword at his waist and his eyes glow red with a defined jawline and his clothes were royal blue and black meaning he was somehow related to the royal family by blood. The man takes a step forward, cleared his throat and approach the crowd, and started to speak.

        “I am Anabus's son of the Archduke Anpu of the Southwest domain, and I am the so call decay man known in all the lands, you might wonder why am I here it’s because my idiot of a cousin the so call emperor wanted me to do this for him now you will duel with me if you lose you go home. I hate weak people you should all know that”. The girls at that time were taught martial arts growing up. It was time to show their skills.

"Are we supposed to be bodyguards"?

"Why should we duel with the Decay man, the son of the man in the southwest that earns the nickname of Death? What if he kills us all"? One of the ladies said.

      “Lady Chio, age 19, daughter of count Neimi you are going home and never coming back, canceled”. Everyone gasped at what Anabus was saying.

      “Anyone else has something to say if not the first person who wants to get in the Imperium has to come up here and battle with me?

      “I’ll do it, I will come up here and duel with you if that's what it takes. If you want strong ladies only, let me give it a try, your royal highness.” Someone said and jumped in front of Anubis.

    “I am out of here". A lady said turning around and leaving.

     "Me too", someone else said.

"I am going back to drinking tea", another young lady left followed by many others.

 "A lady is not born to fight”. Another one said.

        There were only twenty-three ladies left, for some left because they were not up for that.

    “I assume the twenty-three of you are up for it, but what’s your name, young lady".

        “My name is Lady Takahashi Kana, daughter of late Duke Takahashi Botan and Duchess Takahashi Akira of the East". She bowed down gently.

        Everyone gasped, she stand five feet and ten inches tall, Her hair was black and luxurious it shines under the sun, and her eyes glow, she was wearing a red qipao with a silver sword on her back she was wearing matching gloves and boots and looked super serious.

       “So you are Lady Kana your parents are the leaders who guard the southeast, northeast, and the entire east with the help of the Viscount and the count, but six years ago your father died your mother left with her four kids. Nevertheless, one of you has to take over and that sit It’s empty and the east is getting weak”.

    “Oh, no need to worry sir, my family is back to take care of the east, plus my elder brother is the heir”.

       “How amusing, my long lost best friend is the heir, not that I didn’t expect it”. He seems amused.

   He stepped back after saying that and say."Warriors draw your swords, let the battle begin".

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