Chapter 3.1

Chapter 3.1

The Kaysen Empire’s new emperor was a man known as a tyrant, one who had brutally seized the lives of his father, brothers, and hundreds of others. Isis had struggled to hold back her tears, but finally, her tear ducts burst.

“If that man dares to do anything to you… Rosette. It’s not too late. Let’s fight to the very end. If only that could save you then—”

“I’ve already made a deal with him.”

“If not that, then how about doubling the tribute we offer every year? Tell him we’ll raise taxes or give him all our wealth. If that’s not enough… let’s just live as a vassal state of the Empire.”

Isis grabbed Rosette’s wrist and began to pull her away forcefully. It was unacceptable to her to send off her daughter, whom she had always believed would become the most noble woman in the kingdom, as if selling her away.

“Go tell him you can’t do that. Hurry.”

Rosette shook off Isis’s rough grip and spoke.

“No, I can’t, mother. As always, the Emperor will kill off any royals or imperial family members who could become a threat. He’ll harm innocent people and turn this place into a sea of fire. Do you really want that to happen?”

“But to sell off a child like you just so we can live! What kind of—”

“If I sincerely help the Emperor there… he said he would ensure a way for us to live later. So don’t worry, mother.”

“Then Julian… that child who’s now on the battlefield, he won’t even get to say goodbye to you—”

“When Julian returns, please explain it well. He’s not a child anymore, so he’ll understand. We need today to have a tomorrow, don’t we?”

Standing by the sorrowfully weeping Queen and comforting her was Rosette’s father and the King of Hersia, Henry Demianne, with his faded silver hair and bushy beard.

His wrinkled eyes, full of the marks of time, curved despondently. As a king who ruled a nation, he didn’t outwardly show his emotions, but as a father, the sorrow of sending his daughter away was not small.

However, his position, which demanded ruthless decisions, caused him to analyze the situation more objectively. His daughter’s plan was the greatest ingenuity and a perfect solution in this cornered situation. That made him even more miserable.

“I have no face to show you.”

“It’s inevitable… And the Emperor, he didn’t seem as bad as I thought. He said himself that he’d honor the deal.”

“Yes. For now, you must live, Rosette. Only by living can there be a next step, wouldn’t you agree?”

“Yes. And Elliot… please take good care of him. Father, Mother.”

“Don’t worry.”

Elliot was her younger brother, sound asleep and the kingdom’s sole heir. Isis’s heart was torn at the sight of her daughter, who kept pretending to be strong and worrying about their safety, and she constantly wiped away her tears. This night would surely be the longest of her life.

It was an unusually dark dawn due to the thick clouds blanketing the sky. The deep night had swallowed everything in blackness.

Rosette’s closed eyelids trembled uneasily as she slept. In her mind, fragments of the story quickly flashed by, like frozen scenes. At first, it was a peaceful landscape, but soon it transformed into a nightmare filled only with dark shadows.

How much time had passed? As if having a frightening dream, her gestures, which kept shaking her head from side to side even in her sleep, grew more intense. She gasped for air and then finally woke up.

“Haa… hah…”

She involuntarily shot upright, reaching for the glass jug on her bedside table. Without even a moment to pour it into a cup, she took a large gulp. Not satisfied, she emptied the entire bottle. Then she rose, threw on a thin muslin gown, and fully opened the window.

A cool breeze touched her skin, which was drenched in sweat. The thin lace curtains billowed, ventilating both the room and her mind.

It was an incredibly vivid and realistic dream. She unconsciously kept rubbing her goose-pimpled arms.

In the dream, Rosette had attempted to boldly kill Theodore after arriving at the Kaysen Empire. Her assassination attempt failed, and she met a terrible end, dying by his hand. On top of that, the Hersia Royal Palace was engulfed in flames, and the screams of its people echoed.

It was like a real phantom ringing in her ears, still disturbing her heart.

The acrid smoke and floating ash made it impossible to see. Although it was a dream, the scene was so horrific that she never wanted to see it again.