Chapter 1 – The Tribute from Aden (Part 1)

“Catch her!”

Tristan shouted.

The knights, who had been hiding to avoid offending the Crown Prince, rushed out.

The knights began to push the merchants aside and run in the direction Seia had fled. The market quickly turned into chaos.

“Catch that woman immediately!”

Tristan shouted again, standing in place.

He looked furious, but he did not run after Seia himself.

The option of running around because of a mere girl did not exist in the noble Crown Prince’s mind.

If Seia were caught like this, she would surely suffer whatever punishment awaited her.

Even the reckless Crown Prince, who feared nothing in the world, was afraid of his father, the Emperor, and thus could not kill Seia.

She was like a small Goddess sent by the Sun God.

The man who held her hand and received her kiss would conquer the entire continent.

But Tristan knew all too well how to torment someone without killing them.

Kyle changed his direction and turned into an alley.

He had to find Seia before anyone else.

He was exceptionally fast at running, and if he focused properly, he could do it.

Kyle’s heart pounded as he ran.

He couldn’t tell if it was because of the chase to catch the girl from the oracle or because of the fluttering feeling he had when her hair scattered in the wind.

Seia Aden, the daughter of Aden.

Just as she felt awe towards Aden, Kyle felt awe towards her.

He had run for a long time now. As he cut across a rough shortcut and turned a corner, she appeared right in front of his eyes.

“Seia.”

He called her name. Her frail body, weakened from long confinement, collided directly with Kyle’s.

Kyle caught the stumbling Seia in his arms.

As their bodies touched, the rapid beating of her heart was transmitted through his skin.

“Let go of me!”

Seia said in a low, firm voice.

Kyle swallowed hard. He knew he shouldn’t, but some impulse was driving him.

“I’m trying to help you.”

At those words, Seia quickly lifted her head to look up at Kyle.

Her golden eyes sparkled in the darkness.

“…This way.”

Kyle grabbed Seia’s wrist and led her into the forest path.

He loosened his grip as much as possible, fearing she might break if he held on too tightly.

Kyle and Seia entered a path overgrown with grass, where no one else walked.

Kyle hid her in a bush as tall as she was.

“I’ll tell them I searched this area, so hide for a while and then escape.”

As Kyle stood up to leave, Seia suddenly grabbed his wrist.

“…Why are you helping me?”

Seia whispered. When their eyes met, Kyle felt something strange.

“You’re from the Empire.”

Seia’s words made Kyle feel a suffocating tightness in his chest.

“They don’t think so.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’m an outsider.”

Seia was puzzled by Kyle’s cryptic answer and asked again.

“Why are you helping me escape?”

“Because I want to escape too.”

Seia quietly observed Kyle at his unexpected answer.

“…Why do you want to escape?”

Kyle looked surprised.

It wasn’t so much that she asked the question, but that someone was curious about him.

“…Because I’m not a welcomed guest.”

A life where he was always considered a guest, not a member of the Imperial Family living in the palace.

A situation where he was like an unwelcome guest who came at a bad time and didn’t leave.

Seia silently looked into his eyes, as if expecting him to say more.

“I’m going to leave for the North.”

Kyle confessed.

“I will become strong so that no one can treat me lightly.”

“How?”

“I will train in swordsmanship and become the strongest swordsman in the Empire.”

Kyle said with determination.

“And I will find my mother.”

“Where is your mother?”

“I don’t know.”

Kyle sighed as he answered.

“Everyone says she’s dead, but I don’t believe it.”

“You believe she’s alive somewhere.”

Seia thought for a moment.

“…You don’t want to escape.”

Seia said.

“You want to become stronger to face them.”

Seia’s tone was quite serious.

“So you want to return.”

Every word Seia said felt new and mysterious to Kyle, like the oracle of a prophet.

He had never had such a sincere conversation with anyone.

It was ironic that the person he was having this conversation with was someone he had just met today.

“Yes, I…”

‘I will return.’

For the first time, Kyle realized what he truly wanted.

‘It’s not about escaping. What I want is…’

Kyle looked at Seia again.

Was it foolish for an illegitimate child to dream of the palace, to imagine holding the Empress’s hand?

“I won’t run away either.”

Seia suddenly said.

“Since I received the oracle, I have responsibilities and duties.”

It seemed she was speaking more to herself than to Kyle.

“…Running away won’t solve anything.”

“But if you get caught, you’ll be confined to the tower again.”

Kyle said.

“It doesn’t matter.”

Seia turned her gaze as if looking into the void.

“They want to make me the Empress eventually. Those people.”

Kyle looked at Seia as if he were entranced.

“Without me, the Empire has no justification to serve the Sun God.”

“So you’re planning to marry Tristan?”

“If necessary, I will.”

Her voice was resolute.

“…You hate the Crown Prince.”

“I want to kill both the Emperor and the Crown Prince.”

Kyle was shocked by her blunt words.

“…But I can’t kill them if I run away now.”

Seia turned her gaze to Kyle, who was at a loss for words.

“Why? Are you going to tell them?”

Kyle chuckled and shook his head at her question.

“Because of hatred… it was an impulsive act. But eventually, I will endure. I will become the Empress.”

Kyle looked up at Seia with admiration. At that moment, she was a small Goddess to him.

‘Someone who faces fate head-on. A woman who uses her destiny for revenge.’

“I will become the true Empress, not the puppet they envision. I will become the most powerful woman in the Hellis Empire.”

‘Revenge.’

Kyle thought of that word.

‘Seia Aden, you will become the Empress.’

Kyle said to himself.

“So I won’t run away.”

Seia said again, as if making a vow.

At the same time, the sound of footsteps and the voices of the knights grew closer.

In the darkness, Kyle and Seia locked eyes for a long time.

It seemed as if something was being communicated between them without words.

“Running away alone will never lead to victory.”

The moonlight reflected in the young Tribute’s eyes. Kyle Hellis would live with these words etched deep in his heart.

***

Five years had passed since the day Seia Aden shook off the Crown Prince’s hand and ran away.

Seia had turned 20, reaching adulthood, but her circumstances had not changed at all.

On her 20th birthday, Seia was counting numbers as she looked out the window.

Trapped in the tower, all she could do was read books or look out the window.

Seia would often read books as if she wanted to absorb all the knowledge in the world, but today, the letters did not enter her eyes.

Because she was waiting for someone.

The sound of footsteps climbing the tower stairs grew closer.

Seia knew all too well how many numbers she had to count until those footsteps reached her door.

“Percy.”

As soon as the door opened, Seia hugged her brother tightly.

“Seia.”

Perseus Aden.

The legitimate son of the Aden family and, except for Seia, the only surviving member of the family. To the siblings, they were each other’s only remaining family.

Percy hugged Seia warmly.

“I missed you, my sister.”

At Percy’s words, Seia burst into tears. But she did not show her tears easily.

Her brother had suffered more than she had. And she was the only one who could revive the family.

‘Now I must protect my brother. My only blood relative.’

Seia thought.

“It’s been a year.”

Percy said. The Empire had prevented Seia, who was confined in the tower, from having any contact with men.

Even blood-related siblings were no exception.

The only day Seia and Percy could meet was on Seia’s birthday. On that day, a special visit was allowed.

“But it’s so sad to send you away as soon as we meet.”

Percy said, gently stroking his sister’s hand.

“Even though I’m a Tribute trapped in a tower, I was happy to be on Aden’s land.”

Seia said, steadying her trembling voice.

“What do you mean?”

Percy said with surprised eyes.

“I can return with honor as the Empress of the Empire.”

Seia smiled faintly at Percy’s words.

But when Seia left for the Empire the next day, the siblings would likely never meet again.

‘Only the place will change from a small tower to a splendid palace, but the confinement will be the same.’

Seia thought.

“I have something to show you, Percy.”

Seia let go of his hand for a moment. Then she got up from the chair and went to the side of the bed.

Percy silently watched his now much taller sister’s back.