Chapter 2 – Contract with the Prince (Part 1)

“Today, Your Highness, you will be the most beautiful on the continent.”

Natalie said.

Seia was dressed in a gown that looked more expensive than all of Aden’s farmland combined, with her hair done up.

The wedding dress was a shimmering gold beneath pure white chiffon. Each stitch of the gold thread embroidery had taken months to complete.

The veil covering Seia’s face sparkled as if lit by flames, adorned with jewels.

It was a luxurious ceremonial dress that showcased the grandeur of the Empire.

The design, which exposed her collarbones and shoulders, accentuated Seia’s upright posture, making her look truly like imperialty.

It was hard to say whether the dress or Seia herself was more elegant.

“Just today? What about tomorrow?”

Seia turned and smiled.

“What? What do you mean?”

Natalie looked flustered.

Seia stared at Natalie for a moment before bursting into a light laugh.

“Your Highness…”

Natalie also relaxed and smiled slightly.

Natalie Cavondish was the only daughter of the Cavondish family.

The Cavondish family was the wealthiest in the Hellis Empire, having owned gold mines for generations, which guaranteed them wealth and power.

But that was before the war, back when Hellis was still a kingdom.

When Catheon Hellis declared the Empire, he nationalized all resources, especially gold mines, making them Imperial property.

The Cavondish family could still increase their wealth by offering gold to the Imperial Family, but they could no longer run businesses or export as they had before, diminishing their power.

When Natalie came of age, she volunteered to serve as a lady-in-waiting to the Crown Princess.

The Cavondish family intended to align themselves with the Crown Princess.

“I’m really glad to have you, Lady Natalie. Thank you.”

“I’m just trying to make a good impression on the Crown Princess early on.”

Natalie was shy but honest, which made her and Seia a good match.

Seia felt a certain kinship with Natalie, as both had clear objectives in the face of their families’ crises.

“After the ceremony, the other ladies will enter the palace, Tribute.”

“Can you tell me who they are?”

“Lady Agnes Sion from Kshanti and Lady Elena Constance, a distant relative of the Imperial Family, will join us.”

Natalie spoke confidently as if she had prepared in advance.

“Natalie, Agnes… Elena.”

Seia murmured their names as if memorizing them.

“Since we’re ready early, I’ll give you some time alone, Tribute.”

Natalie began tidying up and stood.

It was true that Seia needed a break after spending the entire morning with over ten maids dressing her and doing her hair.

“Yes, you should rest too, Natalie.”

“Um…”

Natalie bowed and added softly.

“It’s an honor to serve the Crown Princess.”

Seia nodded with a grateful smile, though it looked somewhat lonely.

‘No matter how grand the title of Crown Princess, any new bride would feel uneasy. And she has no family to support her.’

Natalie couldn’t even imagine how Seia must be feeling.

***

The person who came to visit Seia, resting in a small inner chamber connected to the main hall, was none other than Kyle.

“How did you get in?”

Kyle leaned against the doorway and gestured behind him.

“Didn’t you say there was a problem with the Tribute’s dress?”

“…What?”

“The maid who handled the dress came to fix it herself.”

He said playfully, and Rey peeked out from the doorway.

“Oh my, Tribute! You look… stunning.”

“Rey!”

Seia jumped up.

She wanted to hug Rey but couldn’t because of the dress’s decorations. Rey smiled brightly at her.

“This dress… did you make it, Rey?”

“I only did the embroidery.”

Rey said shyly, pointing to a small bird embroidered in gold thread on the hem of the dress.

“A golden finch of Aden.”

Seia felt a surge of emotion.

Though others might not know, any Adenian would recognize the golden finch, a symbol of Aden’s farmland.

While gold in the Empire referred to the sparkling mineral from the Cavondish mines, in Aden, it symbolized the golden grains swaying in the fields.

“I’m honored to be part of your wedding, Tribute. It might be presumptuous, but I’m happy.”

Rey said cautiously.

“I’m glad you’re here, Rey.”

In an ideal world, Seia would have watched Percy and Rey’s wedding, but reality had placed them in entirely different circumstances.

“How’s life in the dressmaking room?”

Seia asked, and Rey briefly explained her recent experiences.

Naturally, the other maids didn’t know who Rey was.

They vaguely guessed she was from a fallen noble family due to her keen eye.

And Rey’s excellent sewing skills allowed her to blend in naturally.

“But why is Your Highness…”

Seia suddenly turned her gaze to Kyle, who was standing and looking down at them.

“I prefer it when you speak comfortably, like last time, instead of using formal titles.”

Kyle said in a more relaxed tone.

Rey glanced between the two. She could tell something had progressed between them in her absence.

“…Why are you dressed in ceremonial attire?”

Indeed, Kyle was wearing formal attire symbolizing the Hellis family instead of his knight’s cloak.

As if he were the groom.

The crimson color of the Hellis family suited him well, making his austere appearance seem somewhat seductive.

“Well, they asked me to play the role of your father.”

Kyle said with a chuckle.

‘Something must have reached Emperor Catheon’s ears.’

Seia froze for a moment, and Rey immediately noticed the change.

“I’ll take my leave, Tribute.”

Seia quickly regained her composure and grabbed Rey’s hand.

“I need your help, Rey.”

“Tell me, Tribute.”

“Find out about my maids. Natalie Cavondish, Agnes Sion, Elena Constance.”

“I’ll do my best.”

“I’ll gather the dressmaking maids to commend them for their work in a few days. Until then…”

“I’ll hold on, Tribute.”

Rey squeezed Seia’s hand reassuringly before leaving the room.

“I’m too young to be your father, Tribute.”

Kyle joked.

His voice was hard and dry, but the slightly sarcastic tone made it clear it was a joke.

Seia laughed softly, turning to him.

‘He’s trying to ease my tension.’

Thinking back, it had always been like this. The summer when she was 15 and tried to run away.

Though she had never imagined then that he would be a bastard of Emperor Catheon, the story he had told her of his dream had given her courage that night.

Seia could vaguely make out the outline of a man named Kyle.

“You’re to lead me to the Crown Prince’s hands.”

Seia said, organizing her thoughts calmly.

“Wouldn’t Lord Montrey, who is from Aden, be more suitable?”

Kyle asked.

Seia bit her lip.

‘I must control my emotions. Above all, to succeed in my revenge.’

“He is no longer from Aden.”

Kyle studied Seia’s face as if trying to understand her intentions.

“Is this a warning from the Emperor?”

“Perhaps.”

Kyle replied indifferently. While Tristan might irrationally suspect and cling to the relationship between Kyle and Seia, Catheon was not insane.

On the contrary, his rationality and cold-heartedness made him a terrifying figure.

“Are you planning to betray your father?”

“That man is not my father.”

Although Seia knew about Kyle and Catheon’s relationship, she wanted to gauge his feelings.

“And you, Tribute, will soon have Tristan as your husband. Can you betray him?”

Kyle’s tone was a mix of a cold joke and a genuinely questioning remark.

“My resolve has been growing in my heart for over 10 years.”

Seia said firmly.

Kyle nodded and took something out of his pocket.

“A contract.”

Seia took the paper and glanced at Kyle’s face.

“Let’s read it.”

The contract’s key point was that Kyle Hellis and Seia Aden would form a partnership for a common goal, and the contract would expire the day Kyle Hellis became Emperor and Seia Aden became Empress.

‘Neither can become Emperor or Empress alone. Both must achieve it together…’

The contract required both of them to ascend to the throne together.

‘I must remarry Kyle in front of the priesthood. If I make him Emperor…’

After that, Seia would be free to divorce or remain as Empress.

And Aden would be liberated as an independent principality, governed autonomously by the Aden family.

Kyle handed her a quill.

“Do you need more time to think?”

Seia hesitated for a moment before taking the quill.

“I’ve been thinking about it for the past 10 years.”

Kyle smiled slightly at Seia’s bold words.

‘There’s no time; in a few hours, I’ll be Tristan’s bride.’