“Imperial Princess, we cannot let our child become fatherless, can we?”
Samon smiled at the raving 4th Imperial Princess.
“Kill him! Beat that bastard to death!”
The 4th Imperial Princess’s knights hesitated. They, too, could not believe what they had just heard. Who? The Imperial Princess? Whose child?
“Kill him! I said, kill him!”
As she caused a commotion, her maids and knights restrained her.
“Your Highness, this is inside the Baldina Royal Palace. The Young Duke is a prisoner awaiting execution. If you recklessly overstep your authority, you will only give this country another excuse to use against us.”
“Aaaagh!”
The 4th Imperial Princess shrieked, clutching her hair.
***
“You vermin—!”
The moment she left the prison, as if her relaxed composure upon entering had been a lie, the 4th Imperial Princess kicked the wall and fell into a fit of hysteria.
Then, she raised her arm and sniffed it. It felt as if the foul stench of the filthy prison had seeped deep into her.
She began to scrub her body with the handkerchief she held, as if trying to erase the lingering smell.
A streak of anxiety flickered in her eyes.
She denied Samon’s words, telling herself they couldn't possibly be true, but she felt an inexplicable sense of unease.
Her maid watched her frantic state with apprehension.
“It’s impossible!”
It couldn't be. That cursed bastard, cornered as he was, was just grabbing onto anything to threaten her.
“Bring… bring the divine doctor to me.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
However, the divine doctor, who was hurriedly summoned at the 4th Imperial Princess’s call, did not offer her comfort. Instead, he delivered an answer that felt like a bolt from the blue.
“You are… with child.”
“Impossible. Look again, more precisely. I’ll provide it again!”
The 4th Imperial Princess immediately denied it.
Pregnancy was confirmed through a urine test. But no matter how many times it was repeated, the divine doctor’s answer remained the same.
“…Pardon my presumption, but it is indeed a pregnancy. Surely Your Highness has felt changes in your body. Your monthly cycle stopping, or your sense of smell and taste becoming more sensitive than usual….”
*It can’t be, there’s no way!*
But the Princess’s mind already knew that the divine doctor’s words were logical.
It had been several months since her last cycle.
Since she was originally irregular, she had thought it was just because she was plagued with so many issues lately….
As for meals, she had often skipped them because she felt nauseous at even the slightest unpleasant scent.
She had thought it was just a passing whim when she felt fine again shortly after….
‘Was it… really a pregnancy?’
Lost in thought, the Princess failed to notice the divine doctor secretly clenching his fists and closing his eyes tight.
“No, this cannot be!”
The 4th Imperial Princess’s heart sank. The future looked bleak.
“Send a letter to my maternal grandfather and mother, hurry! We must devise a way to handle this.”
Samon Claudio—that lowlife could never be her husband.
He was a fool who didn't even reach the ankles of the suitors she had once considered.
“And you, go to the prison now and kill every last one of the Claudio line tonight.”
The Princess turned and ordered her knights.
To dare use such a cunning trick to sow a useless seed—he had to pay with his life.
However, the Princess’s malice failed to reach Samon.
“I seek an audience with the 4th Imperial Princess. This is a letter from His Majesty the Emperor to Your Highness.”
The Emperor’s letter had arrived even before her command could be carried out.
***
The King’s Office in Baldina.
The scroll delivered by the envoy of the Kazen Emperor had also reached the leadership of Baldina.
The envoy was practically cast out of the Administrative Palace, driven away by the chilling atmosphere.
“This is unacceptable. To release the Claudio family!”
Dianzel, incensed, slammed a dagger into the golden Imperial decree.
“By what right do they tell us what to do with our internal affairs?”
“It seems the Princess is carrying Samon’s child. Since it is the blood of the Kazen Imperial Family and the fact has already been made known to the Holy Kingdom, the Emperor intends to betroth the two and take the Regent Duke’s family to Kazen.”
Siseo recited the contents of the severed scroll.
Everyone was enraged.
They had finally suppressed the traitors and were left only with the execution of the Regent Duke, the final root of the problem.
Yet, to be told to release them—it was like having their nose cut off right in front of them.
“You don't look surprised, Dea.”
Peleus gazed at his sister.
The Princess was the only one maintaining her composure in this room where everyone else was struggling to hide their agitation.
“From the moment I heard that Samon was frequenting the 4th Imperial Princess’s bedroom, I thought… there might be such a possibility.”
Medeia replied in a calm voice.
“The 4th Imperial Princess likely didn't want this either. It is the result of Samon desperately grabbing onto her as a lifeline to avoid execution.”
“…”
Did it mean he didn't care about clinging to Kazen as long as he could preserve his life?
Did it mean he had no shred of honor left as a man or as the head of a family?
The people in the hall felt a deep sense of loathing for the Claudio kin.
In the midst of this, the fiery-tempered Dianzel was the first to raise his voice.
“It doesn't matter one way or the other. Your Majesty, why must our Baldina listen to Kazen? Just execute them immediately, Your Majesty.”
Dianzel’s eyes flashed as if he were ready to charge into the Kazen Empire at any moment.
“If their heads are already cut, what can they do? We must push through stubbornly. Just as they did to us.”
“Captain, this is not a matter to be decided so hastily.”
But Siseo shook his head in opposition.
“Have you forgotten that the opponent is the Empire? Even though our Baldina won the ten-year war and secured the plains, the domestic and international exhaustion from sustaining that war is extreme. Furthermore, we just had a rebellion.”
“…”
“The inside and outside of the Kingdom are extremely unstable. If Kazen were to invade using this matter as a pretext in this situation…. Are you saying we should start another war? Do you think the people will understand that? At that point, let alone suppressing them, even the survival of Baldina will become uncertain.”
Siseo took off his monocle and rubbed his weary face. Despite his youthful appearance, a heavy fatigue could be felt radiating from his entire body.
“Through the Princess’s efforts, we barely managed to prevent the treasury from emptying and the Royal Family from collapsing, but this is as far as it goes. Do you know how many tasks are currently piled up before us?”
These were the words of the Prime Minister in charge of Baldina’s state affairs. No one could deny his point.
While the Agema were cutting down countless enemies, Siseo had read and analyzed numbers tens of times greater.
Numbers have no honor or conviction. They only speak the cold, hard reality.
And the numbers Baldina currently held were not very generous.
“The plains will provide a foundation to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Kazen, but that certainly doesn't mean right now. With our current national power, our Baldina cannot face the Empire.”
“…”
“It is time to focus on stepping back and strengthening our internal stability. Not on starting another war.”
Siseo pointed out the realistic state of affairs.
“…”
Since his words could not be denied, a brief silence hung over the hall.
“Then, are you saying we should be swayed by the Empire like puppets?”
Dianzel burst out in frustration.
“Setting aside a war with the Empire… Kazen also knows their demand is absurd.”
Siseo pointed to the bottom of the golden scroll.
“Therefore, they have proposed to hand over the mining areas of the Anfron Region, which borders Baldina. In the past, it is an asset the Empire never would have given up.”
The Anfron Region was famous for its gold mines. The gold veins had not run dry for decades.
Kazen had never once given up its assets to another country.
This reflected just how favorable the compensation was, or perhaps how much the Emperor cherished and sought to protect the 4th Imperial Princess.
“…”
“If it’s Anfron… we are in a situation where we have no choice but to consider the practical benefits. If it’s the gold buried there, it will be of significant help in reconstructing the country across the board.”
Siseo argued for releasing the Regent Duke’s family for the practical gains the gold mine would bring.
“Even so, it is absolutely unacceptable. In the end, doesn't it amount to allowing interference in our internal affairs! No matter what they offer, our Baldina must refuse unconditionally!”
Dianzel stood in sharp opposition, stubbornly insisting on maintaining the path toward war with Kazen.
The once quiet interior soon became noisy again.
In the midst of the tense confrontation where neither side would yield an inch, Peleus gazed at his sister.
“Medeia, what do you think?”
A calm yet tender voice flowed from him.
Everyone’s attention turned toward the Princess.
