***

Cyrene found herself facing an unexpected visitor.

Ariel, the woman known as the princess, strode into her room without hesitation.

“…His Highness is in the office.”

Cyrene said, attempting to politely express her discomfort.

But Ariel paid no attention to her words, her crimson eyes scanning every corner of the room.

“He seems to favor you quite a bit.”

What was she supposed to say to that?

Cyrene bit her lip, lowering her head awkwardly as she struggled for a response. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw one of the maids quietly leave the room.

“They say a single smile from a beauty can bring down a fortress, and a second can topple a nation.”

A soft, chuckling voice accompanied Ariel’s elegant fingers as they brushed against Cyrene’s cheek. Her touch traced the outline of her face before pulling away with a deliberate slowness.

“You must be someone worth so much.”

What was she trying to say?

Cyrene blinked, unsure of how to respond. Ariel laughed lightly at her reaction.

“I came to give you a compliment, that’s all. Not because I wanted to meet that damn Crown Prince.”

At a flick of Ariel’s hand, a maid stepped forward behind her, carrying a box. Ariel opened it without hesitation and took out a pin decorated with intricate jewelled flowers.

“This is your reward for forcing me to cut off one of my limbs,” she said cryptically, placing the pin in Cyrene’s hair.

Confused by Ariel’s words, Cyrene tilted her head slightly. Ariel didn’t seem to care whether she understood or not, her smile remaining unchanged as she continued.

“And this is the prize for making my father turn against me.”

Another pin was inserted into her hair. Cyrene felt the growing weight on her head as she stared blankly up at Ariel. Ariel smiled faintly and gently tucked a stray strand of hair behind Cyrene’s ear.

“I’m not sure if I should be relieved that I’m not a man, or if I should admit that my heart flutters even though I’m a woman.”

Before the words had a chance to sink in, an angry Areos burst into the room and slammed the door.

“Your Highness, the Crown Prince.”

The princess smiled sweetly and nodded slightly.

“Ariel…”

“I was hoping to leave without seeing your face. It’s an unpleasant experience for both of us, isn’t it?”

“Your very presence here is unpleasant.”

He walked over and roughly pulled two of the pins out of Cyrene’s hair.

“Ow…”

A few strands of hair gently drifted to the floor. His clenched fist tightened further, crushing the beautifully adorned flower pin. Reduced to nothing but a lump of jewels and gold, it rolled across the ground.

“What a shame, Your Highness. It suited her quite well.”

Ariel said with a faint smile, causing Areos’s chest to heave heavily.

“This is not the first time, so why not just give it to Father instead?”

“Take her away.”

“Who dares lay a hand on me?”

At the princess’s sharp cry, the guards behind her simultaneously drew their swords halfway out of their sheaths. Areos’ eyebrow twitched.

“Oh, I guess you had hidden it to enjoy her alone.”

“Ariel. It seems you no longer value your life.”

“Considering the actions His Highness the Crown Prince has taken, isn’t it only fair that I step in at this level?”

Their strikingly similar faces left no doubt that they were siblings, yet their words were laced with thorns. Cyrene, unsure of what to do, clenched her hands tightly.

“Well, that is true.”

Ariel suddenly burst out laughing.

“It’s rather disgusting, isn’t it, father and son sharing the same woman?”

Areo’s expression darkened, his features shadowed with anger.

“But wasn’t it also a golden opportunity to win Father’s favour? A woman who looks exactly like Creusa… no, even more beautiful. I’m sure he would have been overjoyed.”

“She is Father’s daughter.”

“Since when have you cared about such things, Your Highness? If you did, that girl would’ve been married off to a fine match by now, instead of crawling into your bed.”

Areo’s jaw clenched with visible strain. Cyrene clutched the collar of his robe, her grip shaking. The cold tension in the air was so sharp it felt as if swords might clash at any moment. Everyone held their breath, the silence thick and suffocating.

“I was just curious to see how the child, who only now seems to have some use, has changed…”

Ariel said, taking a deep breath before continuing slowly.

“Haven’t we had enough of fighting, Your Highness?”

“I’m not sure what you call fighting qualifies as such.”

Areos replied with a slight chuckle – a clear, mocking sneer. Ariel’s eyebrow twitched slightly in response.

Is this something unique to the royal family?

When she showed displeasure, her eyebrows twitched just so. Cyrene blinked, her thoughts interrupted as her crimson eyes met Ariel’s. The intensity of the stare made her instinctively shrink back, her body subtly withdrawing.

“Isn’t this starting to look a little more like a real fight?”

“You’re terribly mistaken, Ariel.”

Ariel bit her lip hard. A brief silence hung in the air. With an arrogant look on her face, she lifted her chin.

“Well, we can’t know what will happen in the future, can we?”

The princess, who flashed a brief smile, turned around. The people who had been clutching their swords tightly followed her out. Cyrene stared at the now completely destroyed pin lying on the ground.

Once the door closed, Areos let out a harsh breath and kicked the broken pin aside. The sound of it clattering loudly across the room echoed with a sharp crash.

“Get out.”

At his short command, the maids and knights quietly closed the door behind them. Cyrene rolled her eyes before lowering her gaze.

Has something happened?

Though the emperor had explicitly ordered her presence, Cyrene never set foot outside the Crown Prince’s palace. In the end, she simply thought, So be it.

For Cyrene, thoughts held little value. Her existence revolved around Areos’s commands, her survival hinging entirely on his unpredictable whims. Perhaps that was why everything had spiraled out of control.

As she wondered why Ariel had come to provoke Areos with her presence, Cyrene shook her head, dismissing the thought. The Crown Prince’s hand moved slowly, gently brushing through her disheveled hair.

“…Cyrene.”

“Yes?”

He gritted his teeth. The hand that had been gently caressing her ear and smoothing her hair suddenly grabbed her by the roots.

“Ugh…!”

Her body was pulled roughly. Tears quickly welled up in her eyes.

“Why?”

Areos spat out the words, then clamped his lips shut, leaving Cyrene unable to fathom what he truly wanted to say. Slowly, his rigid expression, once taut with fear, began to shift, giving way to something unspoken.

“…Hah.”

A long sigh escaped him as he leaned forward, resting his forehead against her shoulder. The tension in his fingers, which had been gripping her tightly, gradually eased. His hand moved down her back with a lingering touch before settling firmly around her waist.

Cyrene, frozen in place, hesitated for a brief moment before tentatively lifting her arms and wrapping them gently around his shoulders.

“It’s because you went outside.”

“…I’m sorry.”

She wasn’t sure what exactly he was blaming, but she instinctively apologized first. His slow touch began to pull down her dress. His lips brushed against her exposed shoulder, and the hot kiss spread throughout her body.

“Ugh, mm…”

Cyrene flinched, threading her fingers through his hair. Her legs parted as he lifted her effortlessly. She could feel the tickling sensation of Areos’s breath against her br*ast.

“What am I to do with you?”

With a quiet whisper, his large frame pressed firmly between her legs. His grip on her hips tightened.

“…What am I to do?”

A low muttering, as if not expecting an answer, followed once more. Cyrene suddenly felt a pang of fear. Was he going to abandon her again? Why did he keep hesitating, unsure of what to do?

She thought it would be better to simply stay by Areos’s side like this. She hadn’t met Ilion yet, but perhaps she would someday.

At least if she stayed here, it would be easier for him to find her. She wrapped her arms around Areos’s neck, pressing her cheek against the nape of his neck.

“Please don’t abandon me.”

At her tearful whisper, he entered her deeply in a single motion. Her legs tightly wrapped around his waist trembled and quivered.

“Ah… mm…”

A breathless moan escaped from between her lips. Cyrene clung to him desperately. Nothing else mattered. She no longer wanted to venture outside. There was nothing good out there—only fear and terror.

“Ah, oh… … !”

She felt as if her entire body was being pulled down, causing her waist to shake uncontrollably. Areos gripped her hips tightly and shifted his movements. Her body shook with each movement and the damp, echoing sounds filled the room.

Sticky droplets fell to the floor, leaving circular stains on the carpet. Panting heavily, Cyrene managed to cling to his broad back several times with trembling hands.

“Ugh, ah. Ah……!”

Her body sank deep into the bed as it rocked heavily, Areos climbing on top. Her thighs spread wider, allowing him to press deeper into her.

The familiar sensation of him brushing against her inner walls made her tremble uncontrollably. She clutched tightly at Areos’ shirt, her fingers curling into the fabric as she struggled to steady herself.

“Hwaaang…….”