“Then that glass bottle too...”
“Yes. It’s still right where I buried it.”
I bit my lips until they turned white.
"Your Highness."
It was only after I raised my head at the sound of his calling that I realized I was shaking again.
Laskan grabbed both my hands. The usual courtesy weighed heavily on me.
“Are you afraid?”
Am I scared? How could I not be scared? It was difficult at times to pretend to be a Princess, but it was fundamentally unrealistic. No one takes seriously a dream that could end at any moment.
Whenever I felt mentally burdened, I always had a place to run to. I was just temporarily wearing the clothes and honor of the Princess, and I was just standing there waiting for her to return.
Endlessly brainwashing myself into thinking that one day this will all end and I will go back to being 'just Sasha'.
But now... everything has changed.
What hung over my head was the crown of a true Princess, and perhaps I should prepare to become an Emperor.
I nodded.
“...I’m scared.”
“What scares you most, Your Highness?”
“I’m afraid I’ll ruin everything.”
I said that in a crawling voice.
Half a year. It was only half a year. I had been receiving all sorts of education pretending to be a Princess. I knew better than anyone that I was lacking even the bare minimum qualifications, let alone the dignity of a ruler.
It felt like I was facing a huge waterfall with my bare body. Would it be like this if I were to forcefully take the reins of an uncontrollable beast? The vast lands of the empire and the great palace seemed ready to open their black mouths and swallow me at any moment.
“...I’m not confident that I can do well. You know that.”
“It is a good quality for a ruler to doubt himself.”
It was something I had heard from Jacqueline. When I recalled that absurd memory, I couldn't help but giggle.
“I’ve heard that from Sir Jacqueline.”
“Is that so?”
Laskan said it as if it were no big deal.
“It’s something that Admiral Reston used to say, so it’s no wonder Sir Jacqueline knows it.”
“Do you know Admiral Reston? I heard he doesn’t come to the capital very often.”
“He was my swordsmanship teacher when I was young.”
I see. Somehow, the two of them seemed to have a similar vibe. Rather than the slender Jacqueline, Laskan and he seemed more like rich siblings. They were both tall to begin with.
As I pondered the meaningless thoughts, the trembling gradually subsided. As I regained my composure, Laskan asked me a soft question.
“I have something to ask Your Highness.”
“What is it?”
“Can you answer honestly?”
“I will do so as long as I can.”
“Do you wish to become Emperor?”
It was a strange sense of foreboding. It was a question I had heard from someone before.
At that time, I answered yes, but inside, I was in denial. But now... it was a question that I couldn’t answer easily.
I bit my lip. Laskan nodded as if that was some kind of answer.
“Then, Your Highness’s future decisions will become the history of the empire itself.”
“...”
“It will be the path the empire walks, it will be a correct guide, and it will be a legacy for future generations.”
“...”
“So always, before you make a decision, always doubt and question whether this is the right thing to do. It’s okay to be afraid and hesitate.”
“...”
“I will always be your stalwart sword.”
I looked at Laskan's face. Elegant eyes, deep and cool, tall and muscular, and a body trained through long years of war.
If you could rank all the men in the world, he would be by far the most dominant in every way, even without status.
Someone like that is said to be my strong sword... How could I just tremble in fear?
My wavering determination was firmly established. It would be difficult for me alone, but I had many people around me. People who were more capable and smarter than me, and who had been concerned about the future of the empire for a long time.
If the Emperor's seat is not one that I lead alone, but one that listens to everyone's opinions and moves forward together. If only I could embrace everyone, from the poor of George to the nobles of the capital, as Tilatha had once urged.
It felt like a new horizon had opened before my eyes. I opened my mouth without even knowing what I was saying.
“I will become Emperor.”
The words shattered on the tip of my tongue like a faint mirage. The formless words tasted sweet, sour, and bitter. I closed my eyes and savored the sensation as if it had drawn all the emotions in the world.
When I opened my eyes again, I saw Laskan. My loyal sword, my long-awaited fiancé, the Duke of Ashkabad, and my wolf.
I looked into his golden eyes and chewed on each word as if making a pledge.
“And I will do whatever it takes to bring down Duke Kairak.”
If I knew fear while realizing that I was a member of the royal family, it would have been right to inherit the hostility towards the enemies of the royal family.
The one who murdered my parents, deceived the Emperor, and deprived me of my rightful position for a long time. And as if that wasn't enough, the man who finally tried to poison me. My anger towards the Duke of Kairak.
He was unforgivable. Princess Veronica was a good person, but handing over the throne to her was like entrusting the future of this empire to Duke Kairak. It couldn't be done.
“So, let’s cover this up.”
At my words, Laskan's head rose slightly.
“The man has already cut off all the suspicions that could be connected and run away. The days he was down were long. During that time, you were by my side, and the Emperor must not have been able to make a proper judgment.”
“...”
“Since he was someone who cared so much for me, he must have been determined to catch the real culprit. However, the tail has already been cut, and a blind blade without evidence is more dangerous to us.”
The things I had imagined in my head began to take on a concrete direction little by little. I kept my voice quiet.
“Blame everything on the dead Leah. And then we go back to normal. You go back to the North, and I stay here and compete.”
“...”
“Like a dog that gnaws contentedly on the bone they threw us, as if we had let our guard down after catching the culprit.”
“...”
“But it’s really they who let their guard down, and one day something like this will happen again. Then we’ll be perfectly prepared.”
I clenched my fist in Laskan's hand.
“I must seize that leech by the throat. I must grab its body instead of cutting off its tail. I must make him admit with his own mouth how much he has ruined my life.”
Strangely enough, the more I spoke, the colder my head became.
The power of the Duke of Kairak needed to be cut off, not only for personal revenge but also for the sake of proper governance. The Duke of Kairak was a rotten old tree with deep roots in the foundation of the empire.
Laskan, who had been listening to what I was saying, stood up from his seat.
“I believe that whatever decision Your Highness makes will be the right one.”
“...”
“However, Your Highness still speaks of yourself as a replaceable substitute.”
I opened my eyes wide in surprise. I used to think so, but not now. Now I really believe that I am the Princess. At least until some overwhelming evidence comes out that changes my mind.
But if my words sounded so insecure... Laskan added stiffly, as if cutting off my rolling thoughts.
“After all, doesn’t that mean that Your Highness will endure their attacks with your body once more?”
“...”
“Because you said you would find the sword that stabbed Your Highness and find its owner.”
He keenly dug into the blind spots in my words.
Laskan was right. I was going to give my flesh to my enemies and twist their bones.
The murder of the Crown Princess and her husband and the disappearance of the Princess had already happened fifteen years ago. To connect the current Duke of Kairak with that case, rather than finding a witness who had not come forward despite searching for a long time, it was faster to have the Duke of Kairak attack me.
Once you have that conclusive evidence, you can just pour some prepared mud over the snake's head as if you were waiting for it.
People believe that a criminal who has committed one wrongdoing can easily commit another. Even if it is a false accusation, it doesn't matter. They have already been eliminated from the position of a perfect victim.
In the end, all it took was a little distraction from the Duke. I grabbed Laskan's hand to calm him down.
“Laskan, I know my enemy now.”
“...”
“I won’t let that happen to you again. I promise.”
“No, Your Highness.”
He shook his head gently.
“I have sworn to be Your Highness’ sword. You are already my master, and I have no right to add to your decisions.”
“...”
“But no one would be willing to risk their life for my lover.”
Lover. It was only then that I realized what I had said to him.
As I bit my lips in embarrassment, he bent down and gently stroked my lips with his thumb. The golden eyes that met mine sank into a light I had never seen before.
“Your Highness, may your will be accomplished.”
“...”
“Your Highness’s ideals will only require Your Highness’s will, and it is my pleasure to carry out that will. Just remember this.”
“...”
“I will always fall before Your Highness.”
The voice was strangely fierce yet affectionate.
He slowly knelt down at my feet and kissed the back of my hand with the utmost care. It was the utmost respect for one's lord.
A thrilling pleasure rose from the skin where his lips touched. I lifted his chin. Just by tilting my head a little, our breaths quickly became closer.
I could see a red glow forming around his eyes. A vivid desire. My face probably wasn't much different from his.
“Please, get better, starting with your body...”
He growled in a deep, low voice. But I can't do it. If I don't have him right now...
That was when.
"Your Highness."
Just before our lips touched, at that very moment.
“His Majesty has asked me to go and check if Your Highness is sleeping well, as thirty minutes have passed.”
“...”
“Can I come in?”
“...”
"Your Highness?"
“...”
“...Surely not, Your Highness?”
I jumped up and jumped into bed in a hurry.
I was pretending to be sick because I didn't have any strength in my body. Damn, people are supposed to do anything in a crisis.
“Yes. It’s still right where I buried it.”
I bit my lips until they turned white.
"Your Highness."
It was only after I raised my head at the sound of his calling that I realized I was shaking again.
Laskan grabbed both my hands. The usual courtesy weighed heavily on me.
“Are you afraid?”
Am I scared? How could I not be scared? It was difficult at times to pretend to be a Princess, but it was fundamentally unrealistic. No one takes seriously a dream that could end at any moment.
Whenever I felt mentally burdened, I always had a place to run to. I was just temporarily wearing the clothes and honor of the Princess, and I was just standing there waiting for her to return.
Endlessly brainwashing myself into thinking that one day this will all end and I will go back to being 'just Sasha'.
But now... everything has changed.
What hung over my head was the crown of a true Princess, and perhaps I should prepare to become an Emperor.
I nodded.
“...I’m scared.”
“What scares you most, Your Highness?”
“I’m afraid I’ll ruin everything.”
I said that in a crawling voice.
Half a year. It was only half a year. I had been receiving all sorts of education pretending to be a Princess. I knew better than anyone that I was lacking even the bare minimum qualifications, let alone the dignity of a ruler.
It felt like I was facing a huge waterfall with my bare body. Would it be like this if I were to forcefully take the reins of an uncontrollable beast? The vast lands of the empire and the great palace seemed ready to open their black mouths and swallow me at any moment.
“...I’m not confident that I can do well. You know that.”
“It is a good quality for a ruler to doubt himself.”
It was something I had heard from Jacqueline. When I recalled that absurd memory, I couldn't help but giggle.
“I’ve heard that from Sir Jacqueline.”
“Is that so?”
Laskan said it as if it were no big deal.
“It’s something that Admiral Reston used to say, so it’s no wonder Sir Jacqueline knows it.”
“Do you know Admiral Reston? I heard he doesn’t come to the capital very often.”
“He was my swordsmanship teacher when I was young.”
I see. Somehow, the two of them seemed to have a similar vibe. Rather than the slender Jacqueline, Laskan and he seemed more like rich siblings. They were both tall to begin with.
As I pondered the meaningless thoughts, the trembling gradually subsided. As I regained my composure, Laskan asked me a soft question.
“I have something to ask Your Highness.”
“What is it?”
“Can you answer honestly?”
“I will do so as long as I can.”
“Do you wish to become Emperor?”
It was a strange sense of foreboding. It was a question I had heard from someone before.
At that time, I answered yes, but inside, I was in denial. But now... it was a question that I couldn’t answer easily.
I bit my lip. Laskan nodded as if that was some kind of answer.
“Then, Your Highness’s future decisions will become the history of the empire itself.”
“...”
“It will be the path the empire walks, it will be a correct guide, and it will be a legacy for future generations.”
“...”
“So always, before you make a decision, always doubt and question whether this is the right thing to do. It’s okay to be afraid and hesitate.”
“...”
“I will always be your stalwart sword.”
I looked at Laskan's face. Elegant eyes, deep and cool, tall and muscular, and a body trained through long years of war.
If you could rank all the men in the world, he would be by far the most dominant in every way, even without status.
Someone like that is said to be my strong sword... How could I just tremble in fear?
My wavering determination was firmly established. It would be difficult for me alone, but I had many people around me. People who were more capable and smarter than me, and who had been concerned about the future of the empire for a long time.
If the Emperor's seat is not one that I lead alone, but one that listens to everyone's opinions and moves forward together. If only I could embrace everyone, from the poor of George to the nobles of the capital, as Tilatha had once urged.
It felt like a new horizon had opened before my eyes. I opened my mouth without even knowing what I was saying.
“I will become Emperor.”
The words shattered on the tip of my tongue like a faint mirage. The formless words tasted sweet, sour, and bitter. I closed my eyes and savored the sensation as if it had drawn all the emotions in the world.
When I opened my eyes again, I saw Laskan. My loyal sword, my long-awaited fiancé, the Duke of Ashkabad, and my wolf.
I looked into his golden eyes and chewed on each word as if making a pledge.
“And I will do whatever it takes to bring down Duke Kairak.”
If I knew fear while realizing that I was a member of the royal family, it would have been right to inherit the hostility towards the enemies of the royal family.
The one who murdered my parents, deceived the Emperor, and deprived me of my rightful position for a long time. And as if that wasn't enough, the man who finally tried to poison me. My anger towards the Duke of Kairak.
He was unforgivable. Princess Veronica was a good person, but handing over the throne to her was like entrusting the future of this empire to Duke Kairak. It couldn't be done.
“So, let’s cover this up.”
At my words, Laskan's head rose slightly.
“The man has already cut off all the suspicions that could be connected and run away. The days he was down were long. During that time, you were by my side, and the Emperor must not have been able to make a proper judgment.”
“...”
“Since he was someone who cared so much for me, he must have been determined to catch the real culprit. However, the tail has already been cut, and a blind blade without evidence is more dangerous to us.”
The things I had imagined in my head began to take on a concrete direction little by little. I kept my voice quiet.
“Blame everything on the dead Leah. And then we go back to normal. You go back to the North, and I stay here and compete.”
“...”
“Like a dog that gnaws contentedly on the bone they threw us, as if we had let our guard down after catching the culprit.”
“...”
“But it’s really they who let their guard down, and one day something like this will happen again. Then we’ll be perfectly prepared.”
I clenched my fist in Laskan's hand.
“I must seize that leech by the throat. I must grab its body instead of cutting off its tail. I must make him admit with his own mouth how much he has ruined my life.”
Strangely enough, the more I spoke, the colder my head became.
The power of the Duke of Kairak needed to be cut off, not only for personal revenge but also for the sake of proper governance. The Duke of Kairak was a rotten old tree with deep roots in the foundation of the empire.
Laskan, who had been listening to what I was saying, stood up from his seat.
“I believe that whatever decision Your Highness makes will be the right one.”
“...”
“However, Your Highness still speaks of yourself as a replaceable substitute.”
I opened my eyes wide in surprise. I used to think so, but not now. Now I really believe that I am the Princess. At least until some overwhelming evidence comes out that changes my mind.
But if my words sounded so insecure... Laskan added stiffly, as if cutting off my rolling thoughts.
“After all, doesn’t that mean that Your Highness will endure their attacks with your body once more?”
“...”
“Because you said you would find the sword that stabbed Your Highness and find its owner.”
He keenly dug into the blind spots in my words.
Laskan was right. I was going to give my flesh to my enemies and twist their bones.
The murder of the Crown Princess and her husband and the disappearance of the Princess had already happened fifteen years ago. To connect the current Duke of Kairak with that case, rather than finding a witness who had not come forward despite searching for a long time, it was faster to have the Duke of Kairak attack me.
Once you have that conclusive evidence, you can just pour some prepared mud over the snake's head as if you were waiting for it.
People believe that a criminal who has committed one wrongdoing can easily commit another. Even if it is a false accusation, it doesn't matter. They have already been eliminated from the position of a perfect victim.
In the end, all it took was a little distraction from the Duke. I grabbed Laskan's hand to calm him down.
“Laskan, I know my enemy now.”
“...”
“I won’t let that happen to you again. I promise.”
“No, Your Highness.”
He shook his head gently.
“I have sworn to be Your Highness’ sword. You are already my master, and I have no right to add to your decisions.”
“...”
“But no one would be willing to risk their life for my lover.”
Lover. It was only then that I realized what I had said to him.
As I bit my lips in embarrassment, he bent down and gently stroked my lips with his thumb. The golden eyes that met mine sank into a light I had never seen before.
“Your Highness, may your will be accomplished.”
“...”
“Your Highness’s ideals will only require Your Highness’s will, and it is my pleasure to carry out that will. Just remember this.”
“...”
“I will always fall before Your Highness.”
The voice was strangely fierce yet affectionate.
He slowly knelt down at my feet and kissed the back of my hand with the utmost care. It was the utmost respect for one's lord.
A thrilling pleasure rose from the skin where his lips touched. I lifted his chin. Just by tilting my head a little, our breaths quickly became closer.
I could see a red glow forming around his eyes. A vivid desire. My face probably wasn't much different from his.
“Please, get better, starting with your body...”
He growled in a deep, low voice. But I can't do it. If I don't have him right now...
That was when.
"Your Highness."
Just before our lips touched, at that very moment.
“His Majesty has asked me to go and check if Your Highness is sleeping well, as thirty minutes have passed.”
“...”
“Can I come in?”
“...”
"Your Highness?"
“...”
“...Surely not, Your Highness?”
I jumped up and jumped into bed in a hurry.
I was pretending to be sick because I didn't have any strength in my body. Damn, people are supposed to do anything in a crisis.
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