Chapter 1 – The Tribute from Aden (Part 10)

Seeing her reaction, Tristan chuckled, then burst into loud laughter.

“Hahaha! Tribute, my joke was too much. Even your frightened expression is beautiful.”

Tristan approached Seia.

Seia almost stepped back. Fear was consuming her.

“I can do whatever I want and have whatever I want. This palace is mine, and there’s nowhere I can’t go.”

Tristan’s eyes gleamed. Seia felt her whole body go cold.

“Yet, I seek your permission because I want to see you acknowledge and trust me as your husband.”

“…Your Highness.”

Seia forced herself to speak.

“Do you understand?”

Tristan said, tapping the hilt of the sword at his waist with his fingers.

Seia slowly nodded.

“Then stop pretending to be a naive maiden and lead me to your bedroom.”

***

When Seia and Tristan came out into the hallway, the maids barely managed to greet them with pale faces.

‘They must have heard Tristan’s words.’

Perhaps the palace servants were much more accustomed to the Crown Prince’s behavior.

“Which way?”

Tristan seemed unfamiliar with the annex.

“This way, Your Highness.”

Seia led him down the hallway.

There was only one way.

She had to make as much noise as possible so that Kyle, who was in the bedroom, would notice first.

Her heart was pounding, but Seia kept a composed expression.

However, it was impossible to fake a smile for Tristan Hellis any longer.

‘Kyle Hellis is smarter than this man.’

At least, Seia believed so.

“Everyone, leave.”

Tristan said, kicking open the bedroom door.

“…For a place where my father’s mistress used to stay, it’s well-decorated.”

Tristan said mockingly.

Seia narrowed her eyes and looked around the room.

There was no trace of Kyle.

He must have hidden himself or left the room somehow.

‘So, this was the place used by Kyle’s mother, the Emperor’s mistress?’

This was essentially the Emperor sending a message to Seia to “know your place.”

‘Live as the Emperor’s woman, as that is your purpose. You are an Empress but don’t think of becoming the Empress.’

Tristan made Seia sit on the bed.

“You are most beautiful when you are just sitting quietly like this, Tribute.”

Tristan said with a smile.

“Just stay like a doll.”

Seia felt humiliated and couldn’t say anything.

She wanted to slap him, but Tristan was pressing down on her shoulder.

The most resistance Seia could muster was to grit her teeth and not make a sound, as if she wasn’t in pain at all.

“Lie down quietly.”

Tristan said, smiling brightly as if he was enjoying himself.

At the same time, Seia’s eyes widened as if she had seen a ghost.

Suddenly, something cold touched Tristan’s neck.

“Let go.”

Kyle said dryly.

He was pointing a sword at Tristan’s neck.

Tristan, startled, tried to twist his body, but Kyle pressed the sword closer.

Seia took the opportunity to escape Tristan’s grasp.

‘What is he planning?’

She had escaped Tristan’s grasp, but the real problem started now.

“What were you doing here?”

Tristan asked irritably.

“Can’t you see?”

Kyle said leisurely, pointing to his disheveled clothes. Both Tristan and Seia’s eyes followed.

Unlike before, Kyle’s clothes were completely disheveled.

His shirt was half-open, revealing his chest. His cloak was discarded somewhere. His hair was tousled, and his eyes looked somewhat languid…

“You bastard!”

Tristan finally cursed.

But with a sword at his neck, he couldn’t act as recklessly as usual.

“Filthy bastard. As expected of a mistress’s son.”

“If you die here, the mistress’s son will become Emperor.”

Kyle said leisurely. Seia held her breath.

“You think you can kill me?”

Despite his words, Tristan’s eyes wavered.

“You’ve been stuck in the North for five years, and now you want the throne?”

“I wasn’t interested before.”

“And now you are?”

“That woman.”

Kyle gestured towards Seia.

“I want her. To have her, I need to become Emperor, don’t I?”

Tristan’s mouth dropped open at the absurdity of it.

“This is a waste of time.”

Kyle said, adjusting his sword.

“Kyle, don’t!”

Seia shouted, stepping between the two men.

In that moment, she realized what role she had to play.

“I am to marry Crown Prince Tristan.”

Tristan looked at Seia in surprise.

“I will become the Crown Princess and eventually the Empress.”

Kyle studied Seia’s face as if trying to understand something. He was much quicker to catch on than Tristan.

“Though it’s true I was tempted by Kyle Hellis, I have no intention of giving up the position of Empress.”

“What?”

Tristan was shocked.

But Seia intended to shock him even more.

Seia stepped forward and grabbed Kyle’s sword with her bare hand.

“Tribute.”

Kyle tried to stop her, but it was too late.

Seia gripped the blade, blood dripping from her hand, and pushed the sword away.

“Prince Kyle will return to the North after the wedding.”

Seia said, looking at Kyle.

“If that is the Crown Princess’s command.”

Kyle said sarcastically, playing along quite well.

“And the Crown Prince will let this incident slide.”

“Are you out of your mind, Tribute?”

With the threat of the sword gone, Tristan began to rage again.

“That bastard dared to point a sword at the Crown Prince’s neck. Do you think he’ll get away with it?”

“Can you prove it, Your Highness?”

Seia said.

Her voice was so calm that the atmosphere instantly chilled.

“P-Prove it?”

Tristan suddenly realized that he had sent all the maids away and that only he, Kyle, and Seia were in the room.

“To prove it, you would have to reveal that Prince Kyle entered my chambers.”

Seia said steadily.

That alone would be an enormous scandal and disgrace.

What if the oracle of the Sun God revealed that the person Seia Aden would fall in love with was Kyle Hellis and not Tristan?

“In that case, he will be executed by my father for touching the Crown Princess.”

“Then I will have no choice but to confess to the Emperor that I committed an immoral act.”

“What?”

“Because of this immoral act, the Emperor might have an heir.”

“Shut up!”

Tristan’s face turned red with anger.

Kyle chuckled.

‘She’s a woman who fights head-on when cornered.’

“Or, perhaps the Emperor will cover up the truth for the sake of the Imperial Family’s continuity. In that case, the child I bear will become the Crown Prince regardless of who the father is.”

Seia played her trump card.

“But if we pretend this never happened, I can take medicine to prevent any unforeseen consequences.”

Tristan glared at Seia with a furious face.

“And I will never return to the palace.”

Kyle said.

“So leave first. I will disappear without being noticed, as I came.”

Kyle concluded.

Tristan’s chest heaved with fury.

“Don’t think I’ll let this go.”

Tristan warned.

“I will behead you and hang your head as a decoration in the Tribute’s chambers.”

Though Seia felt a chill at those words, she maintained a neutral expression.

Tristan stormed out, slamming the door.

Kyle dropped his expressionless facade and grabbed Seia’s wrist.

“You’re deeply cut.”

Seia exhaled as if releasing tension. Only then did she feel the burning pain in her palm.

Kyle tore a sheet and quickly bandaged Seia’s hand.

“I couldn’t just stand by and watch Tristan do what he was about to do…”

Kyle said, almost apologetically.

“I know.”

Seia briefly placed her hand on his before letting go.

“When do your knights arrive?”

“They’ll be in the capital before sunset.”

“Stay at the Northern Knights’ quarters for now.”

Kyle nodded briefly.

He found it amazing that Seia remained so composed even in this situation.

Kyle turned and headed towards the door leading to the anteroom.

As he grabbed the doorknob, he paused and looked back at Seia.

“Will you join my plan?”

Kyle asked.

Seia slowly shook her head and then spoke.

“Join mine instead.”