“You called for me.”

The woman who appeared limping was brazen. Though her expression of feigned ignorance was infuriating, Achilleon hid his true feelings behind a smile.

“Shall we play proper lovers?”

He reached out and pulled Margharita closer. She appeared to have no strength to resist. The woman seemed to tense her toes for a moment before allowing herself to be led to the bed.

“Is that really why?”

Achilleon stared at his own reflection in her water-clear eyes. Anyone could see his expression was twisted with displeasure. Had he not experienced Huliya’s betrayal, he might have decided Margharita’s treatment more humanely, but unfortunately, he was in quite a foul mood.

Instead of answering, he lifted her skirt to reveal a white ankle. He gripped the ankle that had shrunk from the cold air tightly. Despite the woman’s stiffening expression, Achilleon didn’t release his grip.

A woman’s flesh is soft, her down is delicate, and her body temperature is warm like freshly cut meat. If gripped too tightly, red marks would form in the shape of his knuckles. If penetrated, it would split along the grain and drip red blood. Despite being so pathetically powerless and fragile, her mind seemed to think otherwise.

“Missing anything?”

“…I don’t know what you mean.”

After checking the storage ledger, twenty-nine ignition stones were missing, and Hari’s name was written in the entry log.

“Sometimes being careless isn’t so bad. It gives me an excuse to squeeze your throat like this.”

Achilleon let out a laugh like a sigh as he watched the squirming woman. His hand traced down along the woman’s neck muscles and stopped at her cleavage. As his hand wandered below her shadowed neckline, he could feel her body stiffen.

Riiip—

As his hand slid down, her clothes tore along its path. After slashing her clothes from chest to waist, Achilleon tossed something onto the bed. It was her lost golden brooch.

“Looks like I guessed right?”

Next, he threw the ledger and the remaining ignition stones one by one. Her face froze before she could even think of an excuse. The true culprit of the arson.

The pale woman hurriedly covered her br*ast that had slipped out between the tattered clothes. Her red lips trembled. It was a more bearable sight than the old woman who had screamed and cried repulsively.

Achilleon slowly moved his hand holding the brooch. The golden pin that had torn through her clothes now pierced the woman’s soft flesh. Warm droplets of blood spattered on both her white skin and white clothes.

“Thanks to you, I was almost condemned as a royal abandoned by the gods. Ah, was that your aim?”

Hari parted her lips, exhaling a sharp breath. Her deeply exposed chest presented a provocative sight like sweet fruit hanging from a branch.

“We needed to burn the sacred artifacts to create a diversion. Of course, I hoped you would be condemned and denounced. Though it was all a meaningless attempt.”

The woman didn’t deny the charges. Though it was a better choice than inadequate lies, it didn’t undo what she had done.

Their gazes met in mid-air. The suffocating silence didn’t last long. The brooch he tossed bounced off the floor with a sharp metallic sound.

“This isn’t fun.”

“I know you can’t kill me. You’ll have a long battle with the Second Prince over the throne. I know you need weapons that he doesn’t have. That’s why you brought me here.”

“A weapon pointed at me is useless. Do you think I called you here to listen to your petty observations? Don’t forget that you were caught trying to escape and were dragged here. Aren’t you curious about what happened to Ipea?”

Hari drew in a small breath.

“She only acted as a guide under my threats. She’s innocent.”

“Yes, unfortunately she’s innocent, but she’s being severely tortured because of you.”

Her hand trembled on the carpet. Hari glared at Achilleon with a pale face. At least this place was better than the hell of Galate, so she had harbored a fleeting possibility that it might be salvation. However.

“Please release Ipea. Punish me instead, Your Highness! I was the one who led the escape!”

“Why should I? You’re no use if that precious body gets damaged.”

It was a delusion. The ruler’s eyes watching the pleading Hari held not a speck of compassion. Hari bit her lip until it nearly bled.

“What do I need to do for you to release Ipea?”

“The Imprinting Ceremony is in three days.”

Here, slaves are worth less than livestock. Even dressed up as a concubine, she was no different from the women filling Antor’s bedroom. Or perhaps a substitute that could be replaced anytime to avoid an unwanted night with his fiancée.

Achilleon was just another hell, not salvation.

“If you try anything foolish again, you’ll never see your companion again.”

“…”

“I hope your words about doing anything weren’t a lie, Margharita.”

* * *

“Tell the High Priest to prepare the ritual. The subject is Selina Karnos. Inform him that I will proceed with the ceremony as soon as it’s ready.”

The aide who received the sealed letter with both hands asked.

“What should we do about Lady Selina?”

Instead of answering, Achilleon tossed him a small key.

“There’s sleeping medicine in the third drawer. Handle it as you see fit.”

The procedures were swift, and rumors of Achilleon’s Imprinting Ceremony quickly spread beyond the castle walls throughout the capital. Only a few close confidants assisted with the ceremony preparations. Women covered head to toe in black veils led Hari to the bath. One woman mixed cold and hot water appropriately before presenting it to Hari.

After Hari nodded to confirm the water temperature, the woman began filling the tub. While the lukewarm water was rising, she received an oil massage. Soft, fragrant oil slid across her body. Almond oil mixed with flowers and fruits was applied to her hair. It felt like being a fish on a cutting board. A fish seasoned and decorated according to the taste and preference of the person it would be served to.

After finishing the bath, a woman brought a large jar. She reached into the jar containing a milky white liquid like beeswax and held something out to Hari. It was a formless, soft, translucent face mask. The thin, stretchy mask absorbed into the skin like water as soon as it was attached. When Hari looked in the mirror after covering her face with that damp mask, she nearly screamed. Her familiar face had completely disappeared, replaced by Selina’s face in the mirror. To the speechless Hari, the woman in the black veil made hand gestures. Ah, uh, euh. Unclear sounds escaped the woman’s mouth, as if she couldn’t speak. When Hari couldn’t understand the sign language, she hurriedly moved her quill across paper.

—It’s a sacred artifact. Secret. By order of the Third Prince.

“Your tongue…”

Only the base of the woman’s tongue remained in her mouth.

—I am a criminal.

The shackles on her ankles revealed the woman’s status as a slave. Before Hari could ask more, heavy knocking echoed through the room.

“Selina. Are you in there?”

The woman immediately burned the paper and withdrew as Duke Karnos entered through the opening door. He had a slim build and stubborn lips that gave off a cunning impression.

While she hesitated to answer, footsteps drew closer. As if he had no intention of waiting for a greeting from the start, Karnos clicked his tongue as soon as he saw her.

“Tsk, at least you seem sober today. I trust you haven’t hidden away more of that cursed drug again?”

Hari, who had unconsciously tried to respond, startled at her unchanged voice. When she cleared her throat, Karnos became angry.

“Did you catch a cold from spending all night fooling around with men again? How pathetic. Haven’t I told you countless times to behave properly for a while? It makes my blood boil thinking about how the wedding has been delayed for years because of your promiscuous behavior.”

A grinding sound could be heard. His action of roughly grabbing and shaking his daughter’s shoulders was quite different from the rumors of his extreme love for his daughter. Glaring with bulging eyes, he lowered his voice and berated her.

“If you mess this up again, I won’t let it slide. I’ll take away everything – your dresses, your shoes, and lock you in the basement! If you’ve cultivated that pretty face, you should use it. At the very least, use your body to seduce the Third Prince!”

His blazing eyes looked at her not as a child but as a useless object.

“If we just get through this well, there won’t be any problems until the wedding. We have a chance! You know how long I’ve waited for this day?”

According to Hitais tradition, marriage is possible after the Imprinting Ceremony. However, in Hitais, while the wedding ceremony is just a formality, consummation usually occurs during the Imprinting Ceremony, making it essentially equivalent to declaring them husband and wife. Karnos’s face reddened with excitement as they finally approached the final hurdle.

“Make sure to seal the deal tonight. No matter what happens, you must bear the Third Prince’s child. Then even that arrogant prince will have to accept you, won’t he? He’ll have no choice. You can be treated as a proper royal lady. Didn’t you say the queen was getting on your nerves? Once you have the Third Prince’s child, that woman won’t be able to touch you either. Do you understand what I’m saying, Selina?”