Once Erik was gone, the Emperor smoothed out his hardened expression as though nothing had happened and turned to Selina.
“It seems you’ve already heard the short version from Count Arsene?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. Thanks to him, I managed to avoid embarrassing myself by looking completely blindsided before you.”
“I expected you to handle this far more sensibly than he did. He was so beside himself that he could barely keep his food down.”
While the Emperor chuckled aloud as if he found the memory amusing, Selina kept her composure and asked,
“What was it you wished to discuss with me in private after dismissing His Highness? It seems to me that he is entirely unready to accept this marriage.”
“The Crown Prince’s opinion carries no weight in this arrangement. I merely informed him beforehand out of courtesy.”
‘The wishes of the two people getting married don’t matter at all? And he says that so boldly right to my face? Which means my opinion is entirely irrelevant, too.’
Selina fought to keep any trace of her thoughts from showing on her face. Her steady demeanor seemed to please the Emperor, for he offered a generous smile.
“As long as you harbor no foolish illusions once you marry Erik, I will help you secure your standing within the imperial family. Life in the palace will not be simple, but so long as you abide by our terms, you will have my personal backing.”
“I am honored, Your Majesty. However, I have never dreamed of rising to great heights. I know my place well.”
“Indeed. That is precisely what I like about both you and your father. You always know your limits and keep to your station.”
“All I desire is to take charge of our family’s merchant business. Anything beyond that would only weigh me down.”
“And who is going to stop you?”
A flicker of surprise broke through Selina’s expression.
‘Truly… his greed knows no bounds.’
She lowered her head to conceal her reaction.
“Everything in this empire belongs to the imperial family. Your family’s merchant house is no exception. If it is what you desire, I shall make it part of your dowry. I will order Count Arsene to hand it over alongside your bridal portion.”
Her heart sank at the thought of her father receiving such a decree.
‘I was right… I made the right choice.’
“There is no need for that, Your Majesty. Establishing a new merchant firm under the imperial family’s name might prove far more dignified.”
“A fine idea as well. That is how one takes what one wants, whatever form it requires. Selina, I see you are already shaping into a daughter-in-law worthy of me. I recognized that potential the moment you finished at the top of your class at the academy.”
‘Say whatever you like; you would never grant me the title of Empress anyway. How glib your tongue is.’
Selina sneered inwardly.
“Since Luce stepped away to see the Crown Prince off, have your attendant hand Miss Arsene what I prepared.”
At the Emperor’s command, the servant—whom Selina treated as a father figure—stepped forward and presented her with a scroll.
“This is the prenuptial agreement His Majesty prepared himself for Miss Arsene.”
[The undersigned, Selina Arsene, hereby pledges to enter the imperial house of Savaya and commits to the following:
First, Selina Arsene shall wed the legitimate heir to the throne, Crown Prince Erik Constantinus Giebel.
Second, she shall maintain this marriage under any circumstance for a period of no less than ten years.
Third, she shall surrender eighty percent of her income to the imperial family throughout the duration of the marriage.
Fourth, should the Crown Prince ascend the throne and Selina Arsene bear an heir, custody of the child shall be surrendered to the Empress to be raised as the legitimate progeny of the throne.
Fifth, as the first woman to marry Crown Prince Erik Constantinus Giebel, when she is later elevated to the rank of…]
‘Even if I bear a child, they will tear it from my arms, take my wealth, and my husband would be Erik? This is sheer hell, isn’t it? On top of that, another woman will take the seat of Empress anyway! And he expects me to sign this?’
The Emperor gestured to the servant to press her for a signature.
“Your Majesty, do you know the most important lesson my father ever taught me?”
“And what might that be?”
“Never sign any contract heedlessly.”
The laughter faded entirely from the Emperor’s voice.
“And what if I tell you that you will not leave this room until you do?”
Selina let out a soft laugh.
“…Tell me just one thing, Your Majesty.”
“What is it you wish to know?”
“Why me? There are plenty of women suited to be Erik’s wife. Why did you choose me, the woman with the worst reputation in high society?”
“So you are aware of your wretched reputation? Everything I have done was out of consideration for your poor father. Now stop this prattling and sign.”
At that very moment… an uproar erupted outside, followed by the sound of heavy footsteps barging into the room where the Emperor and Selina sat.
“Your Grace, you cannot enter—!”
“Miss Arsene!”
Luce had stepped away briefly to escort Crown Prince Erik back to his quarters, and several servants had gone to summon the guards, leaving scarcely anyone capable of stopping Xenos.
The attendants, having no martial training, were like paper dolls before the supreme commander who had reaped victory across battlefields; he shoved them aside with ease, scattering them without any real resistance.
He strode straight toward Selina, oblivious to everything else in the room, then reached out and cupped his hands over her ears.
A moment later, he bellowed with a thunderous voice,
“Sleep!”
“When you put them to sleep like that… when do they wake up?”
“After two or three hours, most likely.”
Poking the slumbering Emperor’s cheek with childlike wonder, Selina asked,
“And once he wakes? Will he forget what happened before he fell asleep?”
Xenos hesitated briefly before answering.
‘We agreed that from now on, I would tell her everything without hiding a thing.’
He had given Selina that promise the previous night during her late visit to the ducal estate.
“I have only ever wielded this power on the battlefield. There… I would put the enemy to sleep first, make sure they could not retaliate… and then slaughter them.”
He spoke with a stiffened expression.
‘So that is how he won his wars… Good heavens, how brutal that must have been for him at such a young age.’
Selina looked at him with fleeting pity, but she quickly turned back to verify that no one else remained awake.
Experiencing the dragon’s power firsthand naturally stirred countless questions, and Xenos answered every single one without the slightest hint of annoyance.
“Is every word you speak laden with this kind of power?”
“I can speak without invoking it. But at times, it slips out unintended.”
“That’s why you always kept your words to a minimum.”
Xenos nodded, and Selina followed up,
“And this power of yours… it doesn’t affect me, does it?”
“It does not. I told you the reason yesterday…”
“Because I am your fated partner.”
She spoke with a radiant smile.
“Still… why did you cover my ears specifically?”
Scanning the room for anyone who might still be awake, she found Xenos standing right beside her.
“I yelled quite harshly. Had it hurt your ears, it would have been dreadful for me.”
As he spoke, he gently reached out and brushed a stray lock of hair behind her ear.
‘Truly… one cannot trust rumors. I never imagined the Grand Duke could be this gentle.’
The approaching clamor of the Imperial Guard snapped Selina back to reality.
“Miss, we must depart now.”
“Just a moment… I need to take this.”
She picked up the marriage contract the Emperor had ordered her to sign, speaking with calm ease.
“It would be a pity to leave behind something His Majesty went to the trouble of preparing himself. It will surely prove useful somewhere.”
As she tucked the contract into her bodice and prepared to slip out with Xenos, he suddenly spoke up.
“Miss, I remembered something I must do.”
He stepped closer to the Emperor, leaned down, and whispered a few brief words into his ear.
“Can your command affect even someone who is asleep?”
“We shall see.”
He took Selina’s hand firmly in his once more. She smiled at him.
“Then… please see me safely out of here. I am placing my trust in you, Your Grace.”
“Do not worry. This way, Miss.”
With hands tightly clasped, the two of them broke into a run down the corridors of the Imperial Palace.
The shouts of soldiers drew closer and Luce’s voice echoed in the distance, yet neither of them slowed.
Selina’s heart pounded fiercely against her ribs.
It was a path she knew by heart… but one she had never sprinted across. And for the first time, running away did not frighten her…
Because someone powerful stood by her side, keeping her safe.
The moment they burst through the palace gates, their eyes met, and clear, ringing laughter escaped them both at once.
