A bit of time had passed since Burghai had prostrated themselves at the Empire’s feet, begging for mercy.
After much deliberation—or, to be more accurate, pretending to deliberate when the plan had already been ironclad—the Empire finally came to what appeared to be a decision.
Well, they technically heard out the myriad of “opposing” opinions, but let’s be real, those were just formalities.
“Your Majesty, I shall go. I’ll travel forth and deliver the Empire’s mercy to them, demonstrating the Emperor’s generosity firsthand.”
Surprisingly, it wasn’t some random lackey but the Crown Princess herself who stepped forward and announced her intentions. Naturally, the court was thrown into chaos as countless ministers and nobles panicked and tried to dissuade her.
“Why must you go? Surely, there are plenty of other suitable candidates!” they cried.
It wasn’t like Burghai hadn’t been the Empire’s sworn enemy just a short while ago. These were the same folks who’d declared war, and for them to suddenly cry uncle raised some serious red flags. Who knew what might go down?
But as concerns swirled around her, the Crown Princess simply smirked and said, “If they really had the strength or nerve to harm me, why wouldn’t they use that effort to take care of their own people instead?”
After all, they weren’t exactly pleading for help because they had an abundance of options. If they stooped low enough to attempt anything underhanded, what would that mean for the three Eastern Kingdoms—Burghai, Caden, and Porland—in the long run?
With those words, the Crown Princess subtly pressured all three kingdoms into toeing the line.
For one, Porland reacted strongly upon hearing this. Already struggling with famine due to recent floods, they warned Burghai that if the latter even hinted at trouble, Porland wouldn’t hesitate to strike preemptively. Why? They were already benefiting from aligning with the Empire, and they weren’t about to lose everything now due to Burghai’s foolishness.
From Caden’s side, things were much the same. They’d secured decent gains without losing much, so rocking the boat would only spoil their current favorable position. And lastly, Burghai wasn’t even remotely considering such madness. Why mess with the delicate order when they’d already begged for the Empire’s help in the first place? They weren’t foolish enough to risk igniting another war.
And yet, the Crown Princess had a single reason for making her proposal: much like Kael had done, she wanted to ensure these nations wouldn’t unite. Divide them. Fragment them. Eventually, they’d fall under the Empire’s care, where they’d be coaxed into embracing its embrace.
As the Emperor finally gave his approval, the Crown Princess set off toward the eastern border, bringing with her not merely a title, but also the movement of the Eastern Legion. After all, with someone as important as the Empire’s second-in-command traveling, it only made sense for some military presence to follow.
Though it should’ve been alarming to see the Empire send troops toward already shaky regions, the official explanation was simple: the Empire was merely there to stabilize and assist the troubled Eastern Kingdoms. With the Crown Princess herself tagging along, no one dared argue against their presence.
“They’re paralyzed anyway,” muttered Isabel, who had just enjoyed a quick teatime with the Emperor. “Especially Burghai—they don’t have the strength to stand against even a fraction of our forces.”
The Emperor nodded approvingly. “You’ve developed quite an eye for reading the geopolitical landscape.”
“Only because I’ve had the privilege of learning from someone exceptionally talented in this area, Your Majesty. Thanks to you, I’ve been able to contribute even more to the Empire.”
Isabel still found herself gauging the Emperor’s mood carefully, though. Kael had assured her there was nothing to worry about, but she remained vigilant. What if the Emperor perceived her as a rival to the Crown Princess, her elder sister?
“Second Princess,” the Emperor began, summoning Isabel.
“Yes, Your Majesty?”
Silence. The Emperor simply stared at her intently.
What was he thinking? Just as a ripple of worry started to build in Isabel’s mind, the Emperor finally broke the quiet with a soft, “Belle.”
Her heart skipped a beat. Even though she knew the Emperor meant nothing malicious by using her nickname, hearing it come from him was still startling.
“I hear your brother has been recommended for the Southern Kingdom mission.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.” Isabel replied curtly but respectfully.
“May I inquire as to why?”
“He is the better choice,” Isabel explained evenly. “The First Prince, my brother, would be far more suitable.”
It was true. While Isabel herself had brought the Southern Kingdoms under the Empire’s umbrella, she leaned more toward the anti-Empire faction. It would be far wiser to let the pro-Empire faction handle things going forward.
“Shouldn’t they be nervous about growing imperial influence?” she reasoned. “If we ease their fears with a show of friendship, everyone benefits.”
Gnaeus, she knew, would handle this delicate task well. “He will assure them that the Empire intends only friendship. That they will remain good allies forever.”
Because the truth was, the Empire wasn’t planning to fully absorb the Southern Kingdoms anytime soon. Their focus, as Kael had explained, was on Dedolant and Atria. Once those two were dealt with, the Empire had its hands full. The Southern Kingdoms didn’t need to be annexed—they could stay friends for now.
The Emperor appeared satisfied with her answer, even nodding thoughtfully. “There seems to be good reasoning behind it all.”
He continued, “Then, what are your plans, my daughter? Will you stay here quietly for a while?”
For a moment, Isabel hesitated. But then she decided to reveal her true intentions. “Frankly, I’d like to go with Kael. To assist the Empire as I have been doing…”
“Hmm,” murmured the Emperor, his expression unreadable.
“Is that all?” the Emperor probed. “Is aiding the Empire the only reason you wish to travel with Kael Klauwitz?”
Cold sweat trickled down Isabel’s back. Kael had promised her she had nothing to fear… but now, his words seemed less certain. Was the Emperor insinuating there was more to her motivation? Was he accusing her of harboring ulterior motives?
“Of course, it’s only for the Empire’s benefit, Your Majesty!” Isabel insisted, her voice trembling slightly.
“Hmm. Really?”
His skepticism stung, cutting deep. Was this an interrogation? Or was he just offering her a rare chance to speak her truth?
Suddenly, to her immense relief, the Emperor changed the subject: “He called you a kind person. Kael Klauwitz told me this.”
“He… what?” Isabel froze, rendered speechless as the Emperor’s words registered.
“He said, ‘Belle, the Emperor’s daughter, is a good person.’ How does that make you feel, my daughter?”
Her mind raced. Was he mocking her? Testing her? Or genuinely praising her? The silence seemed to stretch on forever.
But when Isabel finally looked up, she saw the Emperor’s satisfied smile. He wasn’t angry. He wasn’t suspicious anymore. If anything, he looked pleased.
“So, let’s try this again. Tell me, Belle, why do you want to travel with Kael Klauwitz?”
“Well…” she started hesitantly, “Besides helping the Empire, I… I think he’s a remarkable person.”
“And?” the Emperor pressed gently.
“He’s… intelligent. Loyal. And as a noble of the Empire, unmatched. But more than that, he’s warm, considerate of others, and deeply humble. He always keeps an eye on those around him…”
Isabel’s voice trailed off as she noticed the Emperor’s approving smile.
“Very good, my daughter. Very good indeed.”
And with that, the matter was settled.
Somewhere in the distant corner of the Empire, there was a whisper: “The only daughter of the Chairman of the Nogogorod Council has gone to the Bertier Imperial Duke…”
Even across vast distances, the eyes and ears of the royal family reached far and wide. There was no secret the Emperor didn’t know, and certainly no detail he would overlook.
