Episode 7

If this man wasn’t crazy, he was certainly mocking me.

I furrowed my brows and spoke firmly.

“Say one more word and I’ll have your head.”

“I misspoke. I apologize.”

Vitren bowed his head, realizing I was genuinely angry.

I stared at him, not lifting his gaze, and asked, incredulous.

“I don’t understand what you want from me. Weren’t you supposed to win my heart and marry me?”

“That’s correct.”

“But when you aren’t silent, you spout nonsense. Is there any reason I should choose you over the other two dukes?”

Vitren slowly lifted his head to look at me, hesitating before speaking.

“Before I give you reasons to choose me, you should understand why you must avoid the snake and the dog.”

“If there are reasons, I want to hear them now.”

“The snake will kill you, and the dog will kill the Crown Princess.”

His calm words struck me like a blow to the head. My legs gave out, and I sank onto the sofa. Vitren caught my arm, helping me to sit down slowly.

I had suspected that these beasts might harm me and Lothania, but hearing it stated so bluntly was another matter entirely.

I tried to keep my voice steady as I asked Vitren, who was now kneeling on one knee in front of me.

“Did they tell you this?”

“I do not converse with them.”

“Then how do you know?”

“Because I understand what they want.”

After staying silent for so long, when he finally spoke, it was still cryptic. Vitren took my hand, kissed the back of it, and then stood up.

“Choose me, Your Majesty. I will kill the eagle.”

With that puzzling statement, he bowed and left the room.

I sat there, reeling from his words. What did he mean by killing the eagle? Was he referring to himself, or was it a metaphor for something else? His demeanor was serious, yet his statements were bewildering.

I realized then that the political landscape I was navigating was more treacherous than I had imagined. Vitren’s warning had left me with more questions than answers, and I had to figure out the true intentions of the men vying for power around me.

* * *

And So, It was the Day of the Dog

Aiden stood in front of the secluded palace, waiting for Sione as usual. True to his nature as a dog, Sione couldn’t help but smile, thinking he looked like a puppy greeting its owner.

Then Vitren’s chilling words suddenly resurfaced in her mind.

Today, she intended to join forces with this masterless dog. It wasn’t a complete alliance, of course. She planned to use him to take down the snake and the eagle.

Over the past few days, Sione had pondered Vitren’s warning repeatedly. If she wasn’t careful, Lothania could end up being killed by the dog. She had to be cautious.

But the empress, who had neither information nor power, didn’t have many choices. Besides, none of the snake, the dog, or the eagle could be trusted.

Aiden offered his hand again today, and Sione looked at it with a complicated mix of emotions. This time, she took his hand. It was large and calloused, but firm.

Together, they walked into the secluded palace.

After a well-prepared and abundant meal, Sione asked Aiden a question.

“They say you’re the head of the espionage organization ‘White Shadow’?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“They say the head of White Shadow knows everything.”

“Regarding matters within the empire, that’s true.”

“And you said you have no particular ambition for the throne.”

“I despise troublesome matters.”

“Then if you join hands with me to eliminate Zernia and Kidmillan, there’s no need for you to become emperor, right?”

Aiden narrowed his eyes, staring at Sione as if trying to gauge her intentions. Then, with a slight smirk, he asked.

“Are you saying you want to use me as a dog to eliminate the two beasts, but I shouldn’t covet the throne?”

“You did say you’d be the dog that fetches the prey. I’m merely asking.”

Aiden exhaled a contemplative hum and leaned back in his chair. He looked at Sione with a lazy tilt of his head and said.

“I don’t have much desire for the throne, but I do have a condition.”

“Speak.”

“Remove the mark of the oath placed upon me.”

Sione’s eyes widened slightly at his request. The mark of the oath was a powerful symbol, binding its bearer with a deep and often painful magical vow. Removing it was no small task and carried its own risks and complications.

“I see, And what assurance do I have that you won’t turn on me once it’s removed?”

Aiden’s gaze was steady, his expression serious.

“You don’t. But if you want to survive the ambitions of Zernia and Kidmillan, you’ll need me unbound and at my full strength. Otherwise, I’ll simply remain an unwilling dog, hindered by my own constraints.”

Sione weighed his words carefully. Trust was a rare commodity in the imperial court, and even rarer among those who bore marks of power and treachery. But desperate times called for desperate measures, and she needed every advantage she could muster.

“Very well, I will consider it. But remember, Aiden, loyalty is a two-way street. Betray me, and you’ll find the consequences severe.”

Aiden gave a slow nod.

“Understood, Your Majesty. Now, shall we discuss our next steps?”

With that, they began to plot, each aware of the fragile nature of their newfound alliance and the dangerous game they were about to play.

Speak in More Detail

“Sever my leash so that even if Her Highness Lothania awakens, she cannot control me like a dog.”

This was an unexpected proposition.

In exchange for not coveting the imperial throne, he wanted freedom from the oath’s constraints. The oath between the Luminal Royal Family and the Tilender Family was something beyond Sione’s jurisdiction.

Contemplating how to handle this request, Sione decided to be straightforward.

“That is not within my power, Duke Tilender. I don’t even know what the mark of the oath is.”

“Her Highness the Crown Princess should know.”

“What you’re asking is something I can’t grant. It’s not something I can demand in exchange for giving Lothania the throne that rightfully belongs to her. You have chosen the wrong person for this transaction. You need to ask for something within my power to give.”

Sione’s firm refusal caused Aiden to cross his legs insolently and shrug his shoulders. He gave a crooked smile meant to intimidate.

“In that case, I’ll have to become emperor, scour the palace, and find a way to remove it myself.”

Despite the thinly veiled threat, Sione remained calm. Her pale blond hair, vivid green eyes, and small, composed lips did not betray any emotion.

Unaware of Aiden’s inward admiration, Sione responded with a gentle smile.

“To do that, you must first earn my choice and marry me. Isn’t that right?”

Indeed, that was the plan.

Aiden adjusted his posture, glancing at Sione’s expression.

Sione’s smile became even more radiant as she continued.

“So, how about you lower those insolent legs first, Duke Tilender?”

“…Please call me Aiden.”

Aiden’s feet settled neatly on the ground.

Watching him sit obediently, Sione spoke with the benevolence of an owner offering a treat to a loyal dog.

“Duke Aiden, I have a proposal for you.”

“Please, go ahead.”

“Bring the culprit who assassinated His Majesty before me, and I will marry you.”

“…Wasn’t it concluded as an accidental death?”

“You might believe that, but I don’t. His Majesty was definitely assassinated.”

“What if I were the one who did it?”

Aiden’s eyes sharpened as he asked.

Sione’s smile remained as she calmly replied.

“If you’re lying, it would be troublesome. But if you’re too stupid to understand what I’m saying, that would be even more troublesome. I despise stupid men.”

Aiden opened his mouth to say something but closed it with a sigh. He realized that what Sione wanted wasn’t necessarily the truth but a pretext to seize the lives of the snake or the eagle.

Sione still wore a benevolent smile as she promised to marry him if he brought back the head of either the snake or the eagle.

Aiden stroked his chin and looked at Sione, then asked in a low voice.

“Did you give the same order to the others?”

“No.”

“Why give such an order to me alone?”

Sione’s eyes glinted with a mix of determination and cunning.

“Because, Aiden, you’re the only one capable of understanding and acting on it without hesitation. The others… they wouldn’t know where to begin.”

Aiden considered her words carefully. This was not just a test of loyalty but a call to arms, a challenge to prove his worthiness beyond mere loyalty to the throne.

“I see, Then I will bring you the head of the one responsible, Your Majesty.”

Sione nodded, satisfied with his response.

“I look forward to seeing your success, Aiden.”

With their fates now intertwined in a delicate balance of trust and manipulation, Sione and Aiden had taken the first step towards their precarious alliance.

“Consider it a kind of consideration… It seemed like you were falling behind.”

“Falling behind? Me, behind those bastards?”

Aiden let out a bitter laugh, his eyes widening in indignation. Being compared to the perverted snake and the insidious eagle was already bad enough, but to be told he was falling behind them stung his pride deeply.

Though Aiden’s anger flared, Sione’s expression remained serene.

“You aren’t as beautiful as Duke Zernia, nor as courteous as Duke Kidmillan, are you?”

“Beautiful snake and courteous eagle? Your Majesty, where exactly are your eyes?”

“If you can’t recognize Duke Zernia’s beauty, it’s your eyes that need checking, not mine. And Duke Kidmillan doesn’t question the placement of my eyes.”

Aiden instinctively brought his legs back together at Sione’s words.

He knew, despite his grumbling, that Lian’s appearance was indeed striking. He also understood that Vitren’s quiet demeanor often gave an impression of gravitas. He was well aware that his own dark brows and red eyes gave him a fierce look and that his brash mannerisms could come off as disrespectful.

As someone vying for Sione’s favor, he had been trying to hide his claws and fangs. But changing one’s nature wasn’t easy, and he had no confidence in matching Sione’s preference for gentle men.

In the end, he had to prove his worth by carrying out her orders.

The eyebrows of the dog who couldn’t hide his emotions drooped in resignation.

Sione watched him for a moment, her eyes unreadable.

“Aiden”

She said softly.

“I understand that changing who you are isn’t simple. I’m not asking you to become something you’re not. But I need to know that I can rely on you, that you can carry out what needs to be done.”

Aiden met her gaze, the fierceness in his eyes replaced by a determination.

“You can count on me, Your Majesty. I’ll prove my worth.”

Sione gave a small nod, her smile returning.

“Good. Because we have much to do, and I’ll need your strength and cunning.”

Aiden felt a surge of resolve. No matter how he was perceived, he would show Sione and the empire his true value.

“Then let’s get started.”

He said, his voice steady and filled with purpose.