A Peacock Husband of Five Princesses by day, a Noble Assassin by Night Chapter 30: Amanda’s resolve (2/2)

His eyes snapped open, his breath catching for a mont. "What?" he asked, his tone a mix of confusion and concern. "You don't have to force yourself, Amanda. I... I don't want you to do sothing you're uncomfortable with and resign to your fate just because you lost the Elixir. You can still find a way to convince Her Majesty."

Amanda was taken aback by his response. She had expected him to reject her or question her motives, but his words caught her off guard. "Do you know?" she asked, her voice tinged with surprise.

Kael sat up from his ditative position and looked at her, his gaze keeping steady. "I do," he said, not wasting ti on formalities. "The potion makes one breakthrough to the Supre realm, and you're not remotely close enough to use it for yourself. It was obvious that it was for your mother. However, even for her sake, you wouldn't pour 200 million gold coins. If you are only a princess, you might do it, but you are a responsible Pri Minister of the state. That such kind of money would cause trouble for so of the ongoing projects or the military budget. You wouldn't take the risk.

If you take the risk, then there must be sothing in it for you, too. You're the pri minister, the third most powerful person in the Queendom regarding authority. Anything you want, it can achieved by your will. But there are only two things that the Queen can give to you. One, the title of a Duchess and your own Duchy. But, as the Pri Minister, you more or less have greater power than the Duchesses. So, it could be unlikely. That leaves with a second reason, the annulnt of our marriage."

He paused, searching her eyes for a reaction. "The Queendom gives the man the privilege to annul his marriage at any ti as long as he doesn't consummate. However, for won, the mandatory waiting ti is two years, and when it is achieved, the Queen has the right to annul it. But in your case, your husband doesn't have such power, too." He gave her an ashad smile. "I more or less sold myself to the Queen, agreeing to clear my family's debts and save from becoming a slave. I'm in no position to make demands. Only the Queen can annul this marriage. And besides, I know how deeply you were hurt by the loss of your forr husband. So, I put the pieces together and concluded that this is why you're doing this."

Amanda stood still, absorbing his words. She had never expected Kael to be so insightful, to understand her intentions so clearly. The truth in his words was undeniable, but hearing him say it out loud made her feel vulnerable as if she had been exposed in a way she hadn't fully anticipated.

At the sa ti, she felt confused. Her husband isn't as powerless as he shows to the world. He is the legendary assassin K, a Tier-8 expert. Who would dare to make him a slave? As long as he shows off his strength, even the royal bank would have taken the back step. There was no need for this marriage in the first place. If he is willing to leave her if she wants to leave, then why did he agree to this marriage? Is hiding his true strength more important? Questions filled her mind once again.

"Do you still want to go through with it?" Kael broke the silence in the end, asking softly. "If it's about missing your chance of annulnt, there will be another chance. Soon, Her Majesty would retire, and the throne battles will begin. As long as Shiera wins, she can annul our marriage if you want. You don't have to..."

Amanda cut him off before he could finish. "Tell , Kael," she said, her voice firm yet fragile. "Earlier, you ntioned that you consider yourself a slave and didn't have the power. What if you were given the choice... what would you do? Would you annul this marriage?"

"This..." Kael stared at her for a long ti, the silence thick between them. He could feel the weight of the question, the raw vulnerability in her voice. For a mont, he considered lying, telling her what he thought she wanted to hear. He could say that he would leave her if she wanted the annulnt, that he would step away and let her go free.

But as he t her gaze, he inwardly sighed, cursing himself.

"No," he said, his voice steady but honest. "I wouldn't leave you."

Amanda blinked, taken aback by his answer.

"Why?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper.

Kael exhaled slowly, his lips widening into a smile. "I told you before this, too. It's because I'm your husband. I would support your decision at all tis, whether it is leaving or staying with . And that sorts of principles I grew up with, Princess."

Amanda's eyes widened, and for a mont, she seed to lose her composure. Her breath hitched as emotions overwheld her, but she quickly masked it with a stoic expression.

"You don't have to say that," she whispered. "I don't need your pity or your sacrifice."

Kael shook his head gently. "It's not pity, Princess. It's as true as the sun rises in the east."

The room fell into silence again, but this ti, it was a more comfortable one. Amanda stood there, her heart racing, unsure of what to say next.

"I..." She hesitated, struggling to put her thoughts into words. "I thought I was doing the right thing, trying to move on, trying to do what was best for both of us. But now I'm not so sure anymore."

Kael stood up, his posture relaxed but firm. He stepped closer to her, his eyes softening. "You don't have to have all the answers right now. You don't have to make a decision today. Just know that I'm here for you. If you want to consummate the marriage, I would be glad. But if you're unsure, I won't push you either."

Amanda stood there in silence for what felt like an eternity, her mind racing to process what he had said. Finally, after a long pause, she let out a deep sigh, her shoulders slumping slightly.

"I understand," she whispered, her voice turning softer than before. She looked up at Kael, taking a confident step toward him, her eyes locking onto his. "After speaking with my late husband's spirit, I thought I was ready to move on with my life... but now, I feel like the last speck of cloudiness in my mind has been cleared."

Kael barely had ti to react before Amanda took another step toward him, closing the distance between them in an instant. Her movents were swift, almost desperate, as she grabbed onto him and pulled him into an embrace. Before he could respond, she pushed him gently onto the bed, her body pressed against his.

"I've made up my mind," she said, her voice low and almost playful. "I want to consummate our marriage."

Kael's breath caught in his throat, his mind a blur of confusion and desire. "Wait, Amanda," he stamred. "We don't have to rush this. We can wait until we return to the capital city. There's no need to be in any hurry..."

But Amanda simply smiled, her lips turning into a teasing grin. She leaned in closer, her hand caressing his body as she whispered, "Your body seems to think otherwise, Kael."

Without another word, she kissed him deeply, her lips pressing against his before her tongue forced its way into his mouth. Kael's thoughts scattered in an instant, his body reacting to the warmth of her touch and the intensity of her kiss.