August 17, 2020
"Have you made contact with the First Prince of the Christi Kingdom?"
"Fortunately, he welcod our proposal. It should proceed without issue."
"That is hardly fortunate. There’s little to gain from this arrangent."
Cabelenus’s lips twisted slightly in displeasure. To minimize his losses, he had even sought out Veloa’s eldest brother, yet securing a aningful advantage was proving difficult. The prince was not pleased with Veloa’s engagent to Cabelenus, but that was all. The terms he offered in exchange for breaking the engagent paled in comparison to the conditions Veloa had initially proposed.
"There’s no helping it. The perspectives of a ruler and one who is leaving are fundantally different."
Gajev chuckled awkwardly. As the most likely candidate for the next king, the First Prince had little to lose. Even if Cabelenus had gone through with the engagent, the prince would have simply lanted that he couldn’t sell his sister at a higher price—nothing more. He would not have taken any further action.
"I suppose I should just be grateful that the nuisance is being dealt with so easily."
Cabelenus let out a short sigh and pressed his fingers to his temple. Just rembering Veloa screaming at him like a petulant child over the broken engagent made his head throb.
"By the way, the princess has requested a eting."
"Reject it. The matter is already settled."
"Anticipating that response, I turned her down myself. However, it seems she still refuses to accept Your Highness’s decision."
"She carried herself as if everything already belonged to her. It’s only natural she would resist."
Veloa’s displeasure was expected given the sudden reversal. However, her protests could not be entertained indefinitely. Noble marriages were always subject to change until they were officially sealed. It was said that a true noble would experience at least a dozen broken engagents in their lifeti. There was no grounds to make an issue of a re verbal agreent falling through. Veloa knew this just as well as anyone.
"She knows all she can do is raise her voice, which is why she’s making such a fuss. Ignore her and ensure she leaves without incident. The deal with the First Prince will go more smoothly if she remains unhard."
Cabelenus crossed his legs and absentmindedly flipped through the docunts in front of him. Gajev, pretending to organize papers, cautiously observed his superior’s expression. It was highly unusual for Cabelenus to go back on a decision, especially when it ant forgoing an obvious gain. Even knowing it was a futile hope, Gajev couldn’t help but wonder.
"To be honest, I never expected Your Highness to make this choice."
"Neither did I. That I, of all people, would allow my emotions to blind into making such an absurd decision."
"…Do you regret it?"
"No."
His answer ca without hesitation. Encouraged, Gajev pressed further.
"Even though this has delayed your plans?"
"……"
"You’ve been preparing for this for a long ti."
"When did you start talking so much?"
"I-I apologize!"
Cabelenus stared at him for a mont before finally setting down his pen. He could have ignored Gajev, but silence alone wouldn’t be enough to quell his frustration.
"They said that if the child is hard, their own life is forfeit."
"…You an the lady?"
"Yes. No one else—she was the one who said it."
Cabelenus exhaled heavily and rubbed his forehead. He had assud Alicia would accept things quietly, but her resistance was far stronger than he had anticipated. No matter how much he tried to persuade her, her stubborn eyes never wavered.
"Her attachnt to that creature is growing. I need to separate them as soon as possible."
"…Wouldn’t it be better to observe a little longer?"
"Observe? What, exactly?"
Cabelenus let out a short, derisive laugh.
"It hasn’t been confird that it’s a monster."
"That may be true."
"Then—"
"But what if you’re wrong? What if the sa thing happens as before?"
Cabelenus’s grip tightened, his fingers splayed across the table, eyes cold and calculating.
"I’ve seen this before. The last ti, the monster’s power manifested while still in the womb. The mother died as a result."
That power had not been created easily. Countless failures had led to a single success. Experint after experint had been conducted in pursuit of unnatural strength, each leaving behind detailed records of its outco.
"It was a rare case, an anomaly—an incredibly unlikely event. That’s why I didn’t even consider the possibility. But now, the monster I fathered is defying those odds."
The likelihood of it happening had been minuscule. A statistical impossibility. And yet, Alicia’s unborn child was already showing signs of power, just as the experint records had described.
"Yes, maybe it really is just an ordinary child. Maybe its power ans nothing. But what about the alternative? How can I be certain it won’t be like before?"
"……"
"I refuse to gamble with her life."
Like a chessboard, every situation required sacrifices and strategic choices. Victory was assured as long as checkmate was achieved, no matter the ans. But Alicia—Alicia was different. She could not be treated as just another piece on the board. From the mont he t her, and every mont since, she had been an exception.
Cabelenus slowly ran his thumb over his furrowed brow. Looking back, it had been disturbingly easy to fall for her. She unsettled him, weakened him. But it was too late to dwell on such things. He had already made his decision.
"The child must be a monster."
He had to believe that. Otherwise, he would be left with lingering doubts.
Cabelenus dismissed the thought and reached for his pen once more. But with the pressure he applied, the pen snapped in two after barely a few strokes. Black ink spilled over his hands, staining them completely.
‘The child looks so much like . He adores you, Your Highness.’
‘No matter how harshly you speak, he still wants to see you.’
‘The mont you look at him, you’ll know. He is ours.’
Even after making his choice, Alicia’s words haunted him. He knew it was impossible, yet why did he keep imagining a child who resembled her?
Cabelenus scowled and turned his gaze back to the docunts, but it was futile. The ink-soaked pages were too ruined to make out a single word.
***
"Breaking the engagent, what an unfortunate situation you’ve found yourself in."
"Unfortunate? Do you honestly not see how ridiculous my position has beco?"
"Getting worked up won’t change anything."
"Your Majesty."
"What can be done? Matters of the heart cannot be resolved by force."
On the other side of the communication mirror, Jerpeneus took a leisurely sip of his tea. Unlike Veloa, whose face was flushed red with anger, he remained entirely unshaken.
Unable to contain herself, Veloa slamd the table.
"How can you be so indifferent at a ti like this?"
"What does it matter? Nothing has changed."
"Nothing has changed? Even after this humiliation?"
"If my dear brother did not fall for you, then wasn’t it simply a failure on your part?"
Jerpeneus smiled slyly, savoring the aroma of his tea.
"Are you mocking ?"
Veloa clenched her teeth, glaring at him.
"Not at all. I’m rely clarifying our agreent."
"……"
"You seem to have forgotten, Princess. Our deal was never about whether you would marry my brother. It was about you removing that slave girl from his side. Only then would I grant you her place."
Setting down his empty cup, Jerpeneus finally looked her in the eye. For soone who had gone so far as to employ others in his sches, he was disturbingly composed.
"Are you toying with right now?"
"So, Your Majesty intends to sit idly by and let this situation unfold?"
Jerpeneus smiled elegantly, but behind his curved lips, his green eyes held a depth like an unfathomable swamp.
"…So you're telling to take care of it myself?"
"……"
As he watched the tremble in Veloa’s gaze, Jerpeneus’s smile grew even more pronounced.
"Difficult?"
"……"
Surely, you already know the answer, don’t you? Jerpeneus’s gaze carried an unspoken insinuation. At last, a satisfied smile stretched across Veloa’s lips.
"In that case, lend your n imdiately."
"What did you just say?"
The brightness in Veloa’s expression darkened in an instant. She leaned forward toward the communication mirror, her narrowed eyes filled with suspicion.
"You’re just playing with , aren’t you?"
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