Chapter 16

Elise lived a life devoid of knowledge and ability, ignorant to the ways of the world. Sbe was foolish and powerless, with nothing to boast of except her body—a fact Elise acknowledged more acutely than anyone else.

Rezette Kyrstan was right; it was pointless to carry on a life that would only end in death. The weight of death hung heavily on Elise’s hands, leaving her too weak to wipe away her tears or even lift a hand to her face. Overwhelmed by sadness and despair, Elise cried for some time.

But eventually, she resolved to take control of her fate.

“If the truth must be revealed, then let us end it on our own terms,” she decided, when the royal knights would lead her to the gallows.

However, on the following day and the day after that, Elise wasn’t taken to the execution site, much to her surprise. She had been awake for three days straight, her senses heightened to an extreme degree. Despite her lack of sleep, Elise was unable to leave her confined room, and the maids were powerless to assist her. Despair consumed her as time ticked by, and she found herself incessantly scratching the pattern on her ankle.

As her body reached its breaking point, Elise lit a candle and spent yet another day in the same manner. Finally, unable to hold out any longer, she fell into a deep slumber, more like passing out than sleeping. In her restless state, she heard murmurs and whispers.

“What’s wrong with her pulse?”
“Well, it’s hard to believe it’s a living person’s pulse.”
“Her breathing seems fine, but her pulse is almost nonexistent?”
“Yes. Yesterday, we ended up taking a blood sample because of it, but the results were…”

Overpowered by the need for sleep, Elise drifted into unconsciousness.

When she awoke, she found herself in an unfamiliar location, lying down and looking up at an intricately painted ceiling. As she stood, her head spun and her vision grew hazy.

“Please be careful, Your Highness,” Yvesa said, carefully grasping Elise’s trembling hand. 

“Who…”

“My name is Yvesa. I am the maid who will serve you from now on.”

“Maid?” Elise repeated, still trying to make sense of the situation. It took a few minutes for her vision to return to normal, but once it did, she saw the black-haired maid with kind eyes looking at her with concern.

“Perhaps it’s because you suddenly stood up. Your hands are very cold. Shall I help you with a bath?” Yvesa offered.

“No… I already bathed. I need to go out,” Elise said, hesitating as she was about to give an order. She couldn’t afford to act like she used to during her princess days. But Yvesa seemed to understand her thoughts.

“If you have any commands, please do not hesitate to speak up. The Duke ordered us to prepare whatever you want,” Yvesa said warmly.

“The Duke?” Elise repeated, confused.

“Yes, Your Highness. He will soon become your husband,” Yvesa said.

“What did you say?” Elise’s eyes widened in shock. But it seemed there were more surprises in store for her.

“The Duke has requested to see you, Your Highness. Are you ready to leave your quarters? He’s waiting for you in the reception room,” said Yvesa, the maid assigned to Elise.

“Rezette Kystan?” Elise asked, surprised.

“Yes, Your Highness. He arrived this morning but was informed of your cough and decided to wait until you were better,” Yvesa replied.

Elise was shocked that Rezette had waited for her. She got up quickly and opened the door, finding him just about to knock. 

“If you’re not ready, I can wait,” he offered.

“No, it’s fine,” Elise hastily replied. She had brought this fate upon herself and longed to hear any news that might alleviate her despair.

But the duke remained aloof and disinterested.

“I’m not in a hurry to drag a woman who has just woken up to the reception room. Take your time to freshen up and come out.”

“I…I’m sorry. I must have dozed off for a moment.”

“You fell asleep?” Rezette gazed at Elise incredulously. It was hard to believe that she had merely blinked absentmindedly. “You’ve been resting for three days.”

“I have?”

“You were quite ill. Please bathe and eat, and then return. Alright?”

Rezette Kyrstan turned away and strode off. Elise watched his back receding down the hall, her thoughts racing. She was still alive six days after the scheduled execution. What could have happened?

Yvesa hurried towards Elise, placing a thick shawl over her trembling shoulders. “The Duke was right, Your Highness. You were seriously ill. Even the Emperor was concerned, and we were afraid it might harm the Duke’s baby.”

Suddenly, everything became clear to Elise. She stood in the middle of the room motionless until Yvesa led her to the bed. “You must rest now. First, have your meal. Please wait a little longer, Your Highness.” Dragging her like a lifeless doll, Elise weakly lay down on the bed, but not before grabbing Yvesa’s sleeve.

“Yvesa, could you prepare a pen and paper?”

* * *

Elise struggled to finish her meal within the half-day given by the duke. She could barely manage a few spoonfuls of watery porridge after vomiting everything she forced down earlier.

“It might not taste good, but you still need to eat it. Your stomach must be weakened from not eating much while being imprisoned,” Yvesa said, concernedly.

Elise refrained from correcting her and decided to finish the meal as best as she could. Even in Argan, clear stew or porridge was the most familiar food she had.

Afterwards, she calmly organized her plans for the future. Surviving and saving her life did not mean that everything was resolved. She had passed a hurdle, but the real challenge was ahead.

The duke returned in the late afternoon, and Elise was sitting in the reception room, working with her pen. She quickly stood up when he entered. The duke looked at her with sunken eyes and asked, “Are you feeling better?”

“Yes, I’m fine,” Elise replied.

Elise drew in a breath as Rezette sat across from her.

“Your Majesty, I am alive now because…”

“I need an heir.” Rezette cut her off, his tone curt and to the point. “The Princess speaks the truth. The pressure to produce a successor is both tedious and troublesome. If I can eliminate the Emperor’s control in one fell swoop, then it’s not a loss for me either.”

Elise remained silent, waiting for him to continue.

“Perhaps, you could be my solution, Princess.” Rezette’s voice was now dry and business-like, as if the outcome was already decided. “You are a direct descendant of Gallian, a hero who defeated a dragon. I am a mixed-blood, inheriting the blood of that same dragon. Maybe you can suppress my unpleasant nature.”

“I believe I can,” Elise murmured.

“In that case, there’s no need to take dozens of innocent women. All I need is one woman who can withstand me and my bloodline.”

Elise listened, her heart pounding with every word.

“Since things have come to this, I will take the succession from you, and you will save your life,” Rezette concluded. His voice remained as cold as when he had callously dismissed her plea. If anything, it now sounded even more subdued.

“It is unfortunate that the Princess had to share a bed. However, the physician has been bribed, and he will continue to attend to the Princess both here and in Rotiara.” The duke spoke in a detached tone, as though he were recounting someone else’s affairs.

“I understand,” Elise replied.

“Conventionally, we should have a meal together right away, but given the circumstances, it may be difficult to proceed according to protocol.”

Elise nervously clasped her fingers together. While she knew they needed to discuss their future, she never expected it to result in immediate marriage. Moreover, there was something else she needed to address before anything else.

Elise seized the brief pause in Rezette’s words to nervously bite her lip.

“T-Thank you for accepting my unreasonable proposal.”

“You don’t have to thank me. Don’t think of it as an act of mercy without a price,” he replied icily. “This is simply a contract marriage. We will use each other by mutual agreement.”

His piercing green eyes bore into her, taking in her tense posture and stuttering voice with a hint of amusement.

“Wasn’t this what the Princess wanted as well?”

“…Yes,” Elise answered, taking a deep breath to steel herself. The frigid gaze that met her own, the complete absence of warmth in his voice, and the barely perceptible change in the air around them were all a direct result of her own actions.

Elise steadied her breathing, knowing that she had no choice but to face the reality of her situation. I am prepared, so everything will be okay.

“Half a year. Can you do it?”

His gaze was sharp, cutting through her like a knife. She was frozen, unable to move as if she were a helpless prey caught in his trap. The pain in her lower back intensified, but she gritted her teeth, refusing to show any weakness.

“Half a year, until the harvest festival.”

She had already braced herself for this ultimatum, knowing that it was the most she could ask for. The Emperor was closely monitoring the succession of Rezette, and Elise couldn’t escape his watchful eye even if she left for the Rotiara territory.

If she failed to conceive in the given time, it would only raise suspicion and put her in danger.

Thus, she had no choice but to bear this man’s child within six months.