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***

Ihedia went mechanically to the king and tried to bow formally.

For some reason, Patrick extended his hand in a gesture of greeting.

"Ihedia, I heard you had a bad cold. Are you feeling better now?"

There was no way he didn't know that she had suffered a fracture so severe that it had knocked her unconscious.

Patrick was trying to convey that he didn't want to offend Kayan's feelings.

"I’m good."

"Well, that's good to hear, because it's not as if His Majesty hasn't been worried about his sick sister. Here, reheat this for me. There's no better medicine for a nasty cold than warm soup."

Lena motioned to the courtier to take the bowl to Ihedia's seat.

Queen Lena, through her husband, subtly warned Ihedia not to mention the fact that she had fallen out of the window that day.

Kayan took a sip of the wine on the table and stared at Ihedia.

From the moment she'd entered the dining room, his eyes had followed only one person.

Ihedia followed the servant's lead and took a seat across from Kayan.

The table was lavishly laid out with delectable food that would normally be unseen, but Ihedia didn't want to put anything in her mouth.

The clinking of cutlery filled the silence for a moment before Lena broached a sensitive subject with Kayan.

"I was wondering if you were satisfied with the gift I sent to your quarters the other night."

She was referring to Ihedia's visit to Kayan's bedroom.

For a moment, Ihedia gripped her fork tightly in shame.

Kayan's lips parted, more attentive to her reaction.

"Very......"

"..."

"I errible."

Lena looked very surprised and put down her fork and knife.

"Oh, no. What could have upset Lord Bayate?"

Patrick, who had been listening, interrupted.

"Perhaps Elmir’s pearls weren't as good as the lord had hoped, I thought you would have liked them."

Ihedia could do nothing but listen to this bizarre conversation that treated her like an object.

Kayan answered, his sharp gaze still fixed on Ihedia.

"I've seen it up close, and I don't think I'll ever want to see it again."

Ihedia felt the man's intense gaze on her, not wanting to miss her slightest movements.

Ihedia gently raised her head, and their gazes finally locked.

Suddenly, the events of the night in his bedroom flashed through her mind like a flashlight.

Her ears felt hot as she recalled the heightened sensations.

The Queen, watching Kayan carefully, raised one eyebrow.

"It's hard to realize the value of a pearl when you've only seen it once, for at first glance it may seem a little more modest than a glittering diamond or a mesmerizing ruby, but those things bring only fleeting pleasure."

"Thanks for the advice, but you don't need to bother with such trivialities. Above all......."

"...."

"Shouldn't our efforts in Elmir be more fundamental to the unity of our two nations?"

Kayan, who hadn't made eye contact with the Queen all this time, finally looked her in the face.

The chill in his eyes was as merciless as Anut's winter.

It meant he didn't want to talk about Ihedia anymore.

"Ah, of course, your lordship is right, of course."

Patrick stammered, breaking into a cold sweat.

The underlying endeavor Kayan was referring to must have been the new peace treaty.

Patrick felt a wave of resentment wash over him.

It made his head hurt to even think about how much the Anuts would be able to rip off this time.

Feeling sick to his stomach from the tension in the room, he couldn't bring himself to do anything, so he sipped his water in silence.

Patrick glanced at Ihedia.

The king's anger at Kayan had been misdirected.

"Ihedia."

Patrick called out to Ihedia in an angry voice.

Ihedia, who had been staring at the plate in front of her, looked up at the king.

"Kneel."

Patrick commanded Ihedia with a cold glare.

It was a stern look, a far cry from the cowardly way he'd dealt with Kayan Bayate.

"What in the world have you been doing to offend Lord Bayate?"

"..."

"You, Princess Ihedia Herilsmiller, shall kneel before Lord Bayate this instant and confess your sins."

In the cold light of day, Ihedia rose from her seat, her face like a marionette.

It was against protocol to issue such a blasphemous command to a princess in front of outsiders, but Patrick needed to vent his anger in this way.

The sound of Ihedia's chair being pushed away rang out in the suddenly silent room.

She stepped forward and knelt in front of Kayan, looking like a wooden doll imitating a living person.

Ihedia's face remained calm despite the unspeakable disgrace she had to endure in front of the barbarian.

It was as if she could live through this.

"I apologize if I have offended you. I, Ihedia Herilsmiller, a princess of Elmir, have come before Lord Bayate to ask for punishment."

For a moment, Kayan's eyes glowed coldly, as if they contained a blue flame that blossomed in the midst of winter.

Patrick smiled proudly at Kayan.

"I suppose this will forgive Ihedia for her rudeness to Lord Bayate, which is a felony if not a capital offense."

"A felony for failing to serve people properly… that’s interesting.”

"If our late king didn’t spoil his daughter her whole life, my younger sister would not have been so rude to Lord Bayate."

Looking at Kayan, who had an unreadable expression on his face, Lena chimed in.

"Ai, does a meal that should be so enjoyable for His Majesty have to be this dull? Even Lord Bayate would not be so cold-hearted as to punish a woman who has only just recovered herself."

"No, that disobedient thing can't rise until Lord Bayate's anger is over. I wouldn't mind a good beating."

The corner of Kayan's mouth lifted at Patrick's increasingly out of line remark.

“How can we blame that sin only on the princess?”

Patrick's eyes narrowed as he realized what he meant.

"The owner of this royal family is Your Majesty, King Patrick Herilsmiller, so I would assume that you would also be responsible for anything to do with the Anut emissaries."

"What's that......."

"I'm afraid that's a difficult one, for I wouldn't dare flog His Majesty the King of Elmir."

Patrick swallowed hard and shut his mouth at Kayan's jab.

Kayan looked at Ihedia again.

"Get up."

"I will not get up until you give me my punishment."

Ihedia's childlike demeanor was consistent, as if she was not afraid of anything.

Kayan wondered why she was so intimidated by her pathetic brother?

She made no effort to hide her disdain for the Anut’s commander-in-chief, whom King Elmir feared.

Kayan spoke with an inexplicable air of displeasure.

"That won't happen, and besides, haven't you paid enough of a price already, enough to catch a nasty cold?"

When Ihedia still didn't budge, Lena chuckled lightly.

"I thank you on her behalf for your mercy in the face of her insolence, Lord Bayate."

She made it sound as if the Princess was a nuisance.

Kayan could almost laugh at the absurdity of the situation, but Ihedia, the party involved, was simply observing everything in front of her with a serene face.

The sight of it made Kayan's face grow even colder.

Seeing the look on Kayan's face, Patrick cleared his throat and commanded Ihedia.

"Hmph, Ihedia, get up and sit down."

Ihedia stood up and sat down.

Not surprisingly, she didn't flinch at Kayan's words, but obeyed her brother’s command.

Patrick, who had always been the object of Kayan's ridicule, shrugged.

Lena, on the other hand, had been reading Kayan's moods the entire time and smiled like a poisoned rose, as if she had figured something out.

Then she threw out a test bait.

"Lord Bayate, there is much to see in the capital of Elmir, and since you've come all this way, why don't you take a tour, and I'm sure Princess Ihedia would make a good guide."

Kayan showed no reaction to the queen's words.

Lena didn't back down either.

"His Majesty is very clear about punishment. For now, he’ll just let it go out of respect, but he's not the kind of person who'll end things by kneeling, so please. Don't you think you should give the Princess a chance to make amends?"

She meant that if Kayan Bayate did not accept the offer, Ihedia would have to suffer harshly.

If he really cared about Ihedia, he would have no choice but to accept.

What would Kayan Bayate's answer be?

Lena was secretly sure that she would be right.

Then, Kayan smirked at the thought of such a queen.

He cupped his chin in his clenched hands and leaned slightly toward her.

"Enough with the blindingly obvious tricks, Your Majesty."

Lena's entire body stiffened instantly, as she hadn't lost any of her relaxed momentum while in this position.

"You may be Anut's dog, but you never give up your position as queen."

"..."

"If you want to keep that paltry position, behave like an obedient dog. Not a dog who wants to be its master."

Even the courtiers, attending to the insults directed at the Queen of Elmir, held their breath and watched their conversation.

Lena's stomach heated as if she had swallowed lava at the insult.

***

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***

As soon as the attendant left, Doa said,

"Hmph, it looks like she's almost healed, so maybe you can stop asking high ranking people like me to do frivolous things like explore the North Palace and see for yourself at the banquet."

Kayan arched an eyebrow and was about to make a comment, but Doa quickly interrupted.

"By the way, speaking of Gakhran."

Doa flipped open a fairly detailed map of the Elmir capital and briefed his superior.

"Based on our investigation, the location of Gakhran's alleged lair is here, in the area marked on the map."

As soon as he saw it, a sharp flash lit up Kayan's eyes.

One of the reasons Kayan had come here himself was to capture the rebels who had gone into hiding in Elmir.

While most Elmirs assumed that the Anut had come to rob them of their riches with all manner of viciousness, there was a more important purpose.

Doa pointed to the new location again.

"But given the likelihood of this being a cover story, this is the next most likely place, at least one of them."

The traitor was a master at hiding like a ghost, leaving false traces of his hiding place here and there.

Kayan looked down at the map, his face visibly serious.

Doa, who had been staring at him, spoke up cautiously.

"I, uh, Master Kayan."

"..."

"Do you think it's okay to act on your own like this, without reporting to the headquarters?"

Doa pursed his lips as if hesitating whether or not to speak.

"What do you want to say?"

For a rare moment, Kayan allowed Doa to speak, and color came to his face.

"This is really for your own good, Master Kayan, but Emperor Hashad has ordered you to keep your hands off this matter, and in any case, you're here as a diplomatic envoy, not a pursuer, and you shouldn't forget that."

There was no reply, which Doa took to mean that Kayan agreed with him.

Then Doa began to chatter excitedly, like fish out of water.

"Hmph, now that you mention it, it's not like we're going to get punished if we can't capture him, he's just an old man running around trying to live off the land."

"..."

"And Master Kayan, you have a habit of causing trouble. Don't you know that the higher the person you mess with, the more people below you die? This is the problem with people who have been walking on solid ground thanks to their innate abilities. You’ve been wandering around the outskirts and taking a long-awaited break, but why do you really have to step forward and do something…”

Doa, who was timid and grumpy, putting Anut's words of "black wolf" to shame, without realizing it, began to blurt out his true feelings at rapid fire.

Kayan was still staring down at Doa, his face expressionless.

"Go on."

Doa pouted, belatedly noticing Kayan's sullen mood.

"If you're a warrior of Anut, hunting down traitors is something you're supposed to do, and it's not like you're going to let the enemy get away with it. Yes, I know."

Doa sighed, plopping down on the couch beside him.

"But even if we do manage to capture Gakhran, we'll be accused of disobeying the Emperor. I'm sure you're aware of that, Master Kayan....... His Majesty has changed a bit."

Doa said no more, but Kayan knew what he wanted to say.

Hashad had been deliberately keeping the Black Wolf forces in check ever since he ascended the throne.

He'd declared a policy of mass reconciliation because he didn't want Kayan to rise to prominence and be hailed as a hero.

The retention of Emperor Raquil was only a good excuse to prevent a backlash from the Black Wolf warriors.

This was evidenced by the fact that even when all fighting ceased, the officials of the border provinces used the excuse of keeping Kayan away from the center.

Furthermore, he blatantly excluded Kayan from important matters such as putting down the rebellion.

"Gakhran was a key player in the rebellion, so Anut's elite army went after him with all their might, but they were always one step behind, if you know what I mean."

Kayan was almost certain there was a mole in the center helping Gakhran.

He had the good excuse of being Elmir’s diplomatic envoy, so there was no reason to hesitate.

Understanding Kayan's meaning, Doa nodded reluctantly.

"Anyone who disturbs Anut must be dealt with. Do not make me say it again."

"But I will, Master Kayan."

Doa rolled his eyes once more.

"What else?"

"Nothing."

Doa wanted to ask Kayan what he would do if there came a time in the future when he would irrevocably go against Emperor Hashad.

But Doa decided not to ask that awkward question.

They'd never really talked about it, but he already knew Kayan's answer.

***

Ihedia, with renewed energy, came out with support for the first time in a long time.

Her back was starting to ache from being in bed all the time.

She was sure that Charlotte, who had been away for a while, would chase her around and yell at her when she returned, but she wanted to get out and get some fresh air rather than stay in bed.

Ihedia glanced down at the wilted flowers.

The red petals, dried up without pollinators, looked like they would fall to the ground at any moment.

It was brave enough to stay in place against the occasional breeze, but its precarious shape made her feel like she was seeing a reflection of herself.

"Ha."

Another wave of dizziness swept over her and she swayed.

To her dismay, she decided to sit quietly on the bench.

It was a simple freedom she didn't have at her disposal, and it seemed to lift her sinking spirits.

Then, not far away, she heard the sound of familiar voices. It was Charlotte and her court attendants.

“Why are you sneaking around like a mouse? I told you not to wander around carelessly!”

Charlotte's angry voice assaulted her eardrums.

She was the daughter of Lord Gordon, Queen Lena's servant.

Her reasons for joining the Northern Court were obvious.

To be the eyes and ears of the queen.

"Are your ears plugged? Why aren't you answering me?"

Charlotte, trusting her family and the queen's backing, was terribly disrespectful to Ihedia, the daughter of the first king.

She didn’t know if it was the queen's orders or her own arrogance, but Charlotte always acted as if she was in charge.

Whether she did or not, she always treated Ihedia with disrespect, sometimes pinching her or pushing her down.

Ihedia ignored Charlotte as if she were used to it, and turned to the queen's attendant.

"What's going on?"

“The Queen gave you an order to attend a dinner with Lord Bayate today."

Here we go again.

She felt nauseous at how obviously the Queen was trying to associate her with the vile Kayan Bayate.

Perhaps lying motionless in bed with broken bones would have been heaven.

The rumors surrounding the day's events were so ugly that even the King and Queen, who would normally be in a rage at her actions, let it slide this time without reprimand.

This was to be expected.

In fact, Queen Lena even sent a competent healer to the North Palace to tend to Ihedia.

Her recovery was hastened by advanced medicines and advanced healing magic that she wouldn't normally have access to.

With Lena's unwilling help, her hopes of staying invisible long enough for the Anutt emissaries to return home were dashed.

"You should go get dressed."

The queen's palace attendant said in a high-pressure manner.

Now she understood why Queen Lena was so intent on her treatment.

She had bought Kayan's wrath--if not actually thrown her out of the window--with the intention of bringing the woman to him again.

The Princess had come into Kayan's bedchamber and come out injured, but the Queen wasn't about to give up.

Or perhaps the Queen was just looking for satisfaction in seeing the Princess treated so harshly by the barbarians.

Lena has taken great pleasure in humiliating her in so many ways since she became a member of the Elmir royal family.

Ihedia had once considered Lena her best friend.

Ihedia bit her lip and turned to leave.

For a moment, her vision blurred.

"Right now, my head is ringing and I can't even......."

"Don't be silly, you've been resting a lot."

Charlotte chimed in with a glance at Ihedia.

When she swayed again, Charlotte grabbed her wrist in an irritated gesture.

Ihedia arched an eyebrow as her legs wobbled even more.

She shoved Charlotte away from her painfully tight grip on her wrist.

"Rude."

"If you keep acting like this, I'm going to ask Her Majesty for a golden decree, you’ve been there, you know. You won't have a drink of water for three days."

"Get out of my way. I'll go on my own."

Ihedia cleared her throat and slowly stepped away.

Even at a glance, her gait was somewhat unsteady, but Charlotte snorted.

The attendants reluctantly brought the poor princess to the bathroom.

Once inside, she saw the courtiers lined up in front of the huge tub.

Ihedia was dragged helplessly along with their ministrations.

Washing, applying, spritzing. With delicate motions, like dressing an expensive doll, they transformed her into something else.

She turned her head slightly to look in the mirror and saw that she was as fair as the day she had been placed in front of Anut's bedchamber that night.

Though in her own eyes, she was a mere clown in fake jewelry.

After a long day of makeup torture, they reached the royal banquet hall.

The attendant at the door announced Ihedia's arrival and opened the door wide.

Ihedia's eyes caught sight of Kayan, sitting at the head of the long table, his eyes as dry as the desert.

***

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****

"Is Ihedia any better?"

"Under the care of Your Majesty the benevolent Queen, she's better in no time. Now that she's had enough rest, she'll get up and help with the chores. I'm sure the nasty little thing is making a big fuss."

Charlotte, a maid of the North Palace, sat in the Queen's Court, reporting the situation to her true master.

Charlotte tilted the tea pot and the steaming water dripped with a clear sound.

She fanned it lightly over the teacup before handing it to the Queen, as it was still too hot.

"Such an insult for a noble and good woman to suffer from a beast. What shall we do with poor Ihedia?"

Lena's eyes and mouth were thin, at odds with her voice, which seemed to be full of burdensome depths.

"By the way, it is great that Commander-in-Chief Bayate was so angry at the sight of the Princess. What do you think will win his favor now, Your Majesty?"

"Well. Only time will tell if Kayan Bayate truly does not desire the Princess."

"What?"

Charlotte tilted her head, not sure she understood what Queen Lena was saying.

Of course he didn't like the Princess, which explained the incident.

Lena had seen his aide traveling the court for days, asking courtiers about Ihedia's condition.

It didn't seem like the behavior of a man who would throw her out of his sight.

Lena closed her eyes and breathed deeply of the fragrant tea.

She let her mind wander for a moment, mulling over what the truth of that night might be.

Had Kayan felt remorse for what he had done, or had Ihedia, never one to spare herself, jumped to her death to save herself?

Either way, it couldn’t hurt.

What matters was that the great Kayan Bayate had a soft spot for Ihedia.

Lena wondered what she could do to revive the nation's fortunes, which were dwindling in the shadow of the beast.

There was no better way to deal with an old-fashioned but still beastly man than through beauty.

Like Patrick, an idiot who could never escape her clutches.

What's more, at this point, nothing Elmir could do would stop Anut's rampage.

The good news was that the Emperor of Anut had only just ascended to the throne, and he had a policy of appeasement toward weaker nations.

In honor of his father's wishes.

The late Emperor Raquil was a legendary figure to them, one they would never see again, and that gave many warriors a reason to support Hashad.

Of course, it was nothing more than extortion under the guise of a treaty, but at least it meant she wouldn't be dethroned as a Queen.

The problem was Kayan Bayate.

‘If only I could get him to do my bidding.’

He went on to post a staggering win-loss record over the years and was even hailed as the next Raquil.

The warriors followed him blindly, even surpassing Hashad.

The idea of stopping all warfare and seeking only reconciliation did not sit well with Kayan Bayate.

But the dead could not defeat the living.

For now, all of Anut shudders to honor Raquil’s memory, but eventually Kayan Bayate's time would come.

Perhaps Ihedia could distract the Bayate commander from his hostility to Elmir.

If her hunch was correct.

Lena racked her brain for a way to reintroduce Ihedia to Kayan.

‘Perhaps a dinner party would be appropriate.’

She paused with her teacup to her lips, trying to imagine the two of them reunited by chance.

‘She's got the innocent look in her eyes, but she's got a knack for picking a man's brain.’

It would be as miserable as it was now for a noble lady to be reduced to the status of maid, and to have to serve a lowly barbarian.

Though it would be a bit of a shame to have to put her aside for a while and lose the little fun of rolling her around like a toy.

A small smile spread across Lena's lips at the thought of Ihedia's life as a beacon to the winds, wherever she may be.

Refilling the Queen's teacup, which had been emptied in the meantime, Charlotte said.

"I'm afraid that keeping a woman he doesn’t like enough to drop from a great height is only going to make him angrier."

“If it’s just hate, it’s affection.”

Charlotte shot her a questioning glance, still unable to agree with her master's wishes, but Lena merely sipped her tea in a languid motion.

Lena wondered again how she could get to the bottom of Kayan's mind.

Just then, Patrick appeared in the distance.

Lena put down her teacup in a panic and hurried over to her husband.

"What brings you here at this hour, Your Majesty?"

"I have come to see my lovely lady, as soon as I could spare a moment."

Lena smiled brightly at that.

Then she threw her arms around Patrick like a child, oblivious to the stares.

"I was just finishing up my conversation with Charlotte. Welcome, Your Majesty, please have a seat."

Charlotte, who had come to stand by King Patrick's side, smiled bashfully at him.

"Your Majesty, how have you been?"

"Oh, Charlotte, you're getting prettier by the minute."

"Are you making fun of me? I'm a little embarrassed to hear that, especially with the beautiful Queen right next to me."

Lena stiffened a little at the seemingly friendly conversation between the two.

"Charlotte, His Majesty is here, so you'd better get going."

At the Queen's command, Charlotte bowed and left the room.

At that moment, Lena spotted Patrick following Charlotte's retreating back with an intense gaze.

She faked a light, cheerful voice and asked him.

"Your Majesty, you seem to be quite friendly with Charlotte. As a maid of the North Palace, I would have thought you would have had little contact with her."

"I've met her a few times on walks and spoken briefly with her, and unlike the stiff Lord Gordon, she's quite the lady."

"Ah, I see."

"I'm afraid it's hard to be Ihedia's maid in a deserted Northern palace, and for the sake of Lord Gordon's dignity, I think she'd be better off as the Queen’s maid."

He didn't look at his wife, whose complexion had darkened strangely, and his tone was as if he were glancing away from something sensitive.

Lena changed the subject, flashing a bright smile that caught Patrick off guard.

"By the way, thankfully, Ihedia's healing seems to be faster than we thought, so speaking of which, why don't we throw a dinner party and invite Lord Bayate to join us, along with Ihedia, of course."

"Ihedia?"

Patrick arched an eyebrow, as if he didn't like the idea.

He didn't want to show her again and creat a fuss unnecessarily.

Lena took Patrick's hand in both of hers and brought it to her cheek.

"I don't think we should read too much into this."

"But......."

"When did I ever post a petition to the king to become one?"

Patrick couldn't say anything in response to Lena's sharp voice.

He had risen to this position with ease, thanks to the queen, who was always one step ahead of him.

As usual, a foolish man could not refuse a shrewd woman's request.

"I will do as you wish, my queen."

***

"I heard she entered Kayan Bayate's bedroom and was driven out."

"She was lucky she was just thrown out, because that savage threw the Princess out of a window!"

"Ugh, it's awful to think of, and I'm sure she won't be able to walk properly for a while after falling from that height."

Word spread through the palace that the princess had entered Kayan Bayate's bedroom and been thrown out the window.

Because of this, Elmir’s courtiers would go white in the face and shake in their boots whenever they made eye contact with Kayan.

Doa, who had returned to the palace today feeling the chaotic atmosphere firsthand, clicked his tongue at Kayan.

"Tsk, tsk, now you're even throwing women out of the window? I thought you were different from those nasty Anut warriors, and I'm honestly disappointed."

Even with the title of Wolf Warrior, Doa was a pacifist who was extremely reluctant to kill or engage in violence or verbal abuse.

He sent Kayan a glare that held a faint hint of contempt.

"I didn’t.”

"You're the one who says you'll cut them in half or ten on the battlefield, but you're here to do what you call 'diplomacy,' and you can't even control your temper......."

"I didn’t.”

Kayan growled through clenched teeth.

Ever since then, every time Doa complained, Kayan had repeated the word no.

But Doa didn't always believe him.

He knew all too well how brutal a warrior his superior could be on the battlefield, and it was, to put it mildly, merciful of him to throw the offending human out the window instead of tearing her to pieces.

Still, he's never been that unkind to women before, so why did he do it this time?

"So you're saying she jumped to her death?"

"And you'd believe me if I said so?"

"No."

Kayan now felt a surge of irritation and frustration at the mere thought of Ihedia.

She was insane, but she was solidly insane.

If she hadn't died, she would have crushed her bones.

She really wanted to die.

"So how's she doing now?" (Kayan)

"How many times do you have to ask, and why would you want to know that when you're the one who made it happen, ouch!" (Doa)

Kayan grabbed his young subordinate by the scruff of his neck and let out an ugly snarl.

Then Doa, who had been whimpering fearlessly, shifted his stance.

"The word from the courtiers is that she's recovering faster than people thought, thanks to the visits of Elmir’s talented healers."

"Really?"

"Well, Elmir’s got a pretty good healer, and given how quiet King Patrick has been so far, I don't think he's going to make an issue of it. Well, not that he's in any position to now."

At any rate, it meant that her life wasn't in danger, and her injuries were getting better.

The Queen's behavior was strange in more ways than one.

The image of Ihedia's serene green eyes before she fell out the window that day suddenly flashed through Kayan's mind.

What an unpleasant woman.

There was a soft knock at the door.

Doa opened the door and there stood an attendant of the Queen's court.

The attendant bowed briefly to Kayan and told him the purpose of her visit.

"Her Majesty has prepared a banquet for Lord Bayate."

Such formalities annoyed Kayan.

He opened his mouth to decline, but the attendant spoke quickly, as if she had already anticipated it.

"Princess Ihedia will also be attending."

Then, as if drawn by something, Kayan blurted out an answer that was the opposite of what he had thought a moment ago.

“…Okay."

***

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Ihedia bit her lip softly.

A rush of emotion, enough to make her want to throw it all away, cracked her hard-won composure.

"Can't you?"

Ihedia leaned a little closer to Kayan, as if making up her mind after a long moment.

She put her hands on his shoulders, trying to pull down his already half-naked clothes.

She paused for a moment, and then, with slow fingers, pulled the shoulder straps of the dress down, exposing the sheer fabric covering her flesh.

Ihedia froze in place, not sure she could bring the dress down below her breasts.

Her hands grew strength as she rolled up the hem of her dress.

As if waiting for her, Kayan spoke again, sarcastic and pointed.

"What are you trying to do?"

"..."

"Oh, are you asking me to do this?"

Before she could answer, Kayan snatched Ihedia up with a ferocious grip and placed her on his lap.

He then pulled hard on her slender waist.

Their bodies were pressed together in uncomfortable proximity.

Their lips were just inches away from touching.

Ihedia's stony face revealed her bewilderment.

She instinctively pushed away from Kayan's body with all her might.

Ihedia's pleading resistance was sympathetic, and Kayan pulled back slightly.

He waited silently for her response.

The haughty, intimidating eyes seemed to sneer, as if to say, "You're going to keep this up?”

Ihedia took a deep breath, trying to shake off her fear somehow.

Then, cautiously, she placed both hands on Kayan's shoulders.

And very slowly, she brought her lips to his.

The touch of flesh against flesh was unfamiliar.

Goosebumps rose all over her body at the same time.

'This scent is.......'

Suddenly, Ihedia recognized a familiar scent coming from Kayan.

She parted her lips slightly and looked up at him.

An unrecognizable glint flashed in his dawn-blue eyes.

In that moment, as if under some kind of intense stimulus, Kayan devoured Ihedia’s lips with ferocity.

"Ugh......!"

Ihedia's mind went blank as the wet sensation rushed in without warning.

She was pushed helplessly backward as the hard, massive body pressed closer.

Kayan continued to pull her toward him as she struggled to break free.

With a swift motion, he lifted Yhedia's body and pinned her beneath him.

Her body, light as a feather, was dragged along like a sheet of paper in thin air.

He slipped between her legs.

Ihedia reflexively curled her legs, but she couldn't push him away.

The aura of arousal that flowed from him warmed her chilled body.

Once she was frozen in his arms, Kayan licked the inside of her mouth again.

Soon his wet lips were nibbling at the nape of her neck.

"Aah!"

Ihedia could not help but panic at the unfamiliar sound that erupted from her own mouth.

When she couldn't take it anymore, she began to struggle with all her might.

"That, stop!"

Ihedia, having reached her limit, raised a white flag.

At a precarious distance, not flesh to flesh but enough to mingle their breaths, he stopped all movement.

She let out the breath she'd been holding.

Kayan's dark gaze traveled from Ihedia's red lips to her peridot green eyes.

He brushed his thumb across Ihedia's lips.

"I suppose it would be unwise for you to mix with the beast?"

"...."

"So don't fuss anymore."

Lustfully whispering lips grazed Ihedia's ear.

Ihedia shivered like a deer in a trap at the slightest touch.

As if all interest had been lost, Kayan nonchalantly withdrew his gaze from her.

He rose from his position in a cold motion, as if he had no residual desire for her, unlike a moment ago, when he had lusted after her as if hungry for something.

"I'm afraid I can't help but run out of steam after holding the woman for so long, I'll have to deal with this on my own, so could you please leave without interrupting me?"

"..."

"Well, if you're curious, you can watch from the sidelines."

A man who casually blurted out dirty words she had never heard before.

The nape of her neck felt hot at the man's aggressive demeanor, as if he was trying to instill insult somehow, but she couldn't protest.

Ihedia didn't even flinch as Kayan left the couch and stumbled over to the bed.

He shrugged off his robe.

It revealed a toned body, covered in rippling muscles and scars of various kinds.

Startled, Ihedia quickly looked away, but a chilling voice drew her attention back.

"Do I need to escort you to your quarters?"

Ihedia remained silent for a moment, looking lost in thought.

"I appreciate the offer, but I decline."

It was a moderately polite reply, though she knew it was sarcasm, not consideration.

With that, Ihedia stood up from her seat and went to the window.

She opened the window wide and let the cool breeze ruffle her hair.

The moon hung in the clear sky, shining as pure white as ever.

The palace gardens, bathed in the dusky moonlight below, were as beautiful as ever.

'It shouldn't be too much of a harm to fall this high.’

If she were to be removed from Kayan's bedroom unharmed, Patrick and Lena would exact murderous retribution on her brother and sister-in-law.

Ihedia gathered her scattered thoughts as she remembered her brother, who was a miracle to still be alive.

Evan's condition had deteriorated greatly in the time since she had seen him.

The child would no longer have the strength to withstand his tormentors.

If she threw herself out there and showed herself broken or covered in scars, she might get away with no further corporal punishment.

There was no way the king and the Queen would criticize Anut if he harmed her.

It was always her pain they wanted.

Perhaps it would be better if she were to lose consciousness for a few days.

Because she didn't want to face this humiliation anymore.

With that thought, Ihedia leaned against the window sill and turned to face Kayan.

On the one hand, she felt fortunate to be here, facing Kayan Bayate, the cruelest of all the Anuts.

No one would question what was about to happen.

Kayan stopped what he was doing and stared at Ihedia.

He'd expected her to give up and walk away, but she was surprisingly stubborn.

Kayan raised an eyebrow and glanced at Ihedia.

The mystical moonlight cascaded over her body like a waterfall.

The warm Elmir breeze, the one Kayan hated so much, ruffled her silken hair and scattered the wavy hem of her dress haphazardly.

"...."

Then the bitter wind made its way to Kayan's heart.

The tickling sensation, like a feather being swept across his heart, disconcerted him to say the least.

Now, in his eyes, she seemed holy, like a mythical goddess of beauty.

Damn.

What have I gotten myself into now?

While Kayan was beating himself up, a crystal clear voice shook him awake.

"I've heard rumors that Commander-in-Chief Kayan Bayate treats women harshly."

Kayan had a reputation for being the most vicious of the belligerent Anut warriors.

Even in the heat of battle, a glimpse of his face was enough to make most men drop their weapons and run for cover.

Unsourced stories were always inflated, so there were quite a few untrue ones, but he didn't get involved..

If anything, it served as a useful aid in controlling others without much effort.

"The rumors that follow me are vicious, but I'm not the kind of person who pays attention to them."

"I'm glad to hear that, then."

Ihedia glanced at Kayan and smiled strangely. 

The smile was somehow tinged with bitterness, which made Kayan feel strange.

"What do you mean?"

"One more vicious rumor against Lord Bayate won't hurt him much, and Elmir can't be held responsible for any disrespect he might commit."

Kayan furrowed his brow and watched her as she continued to ramble on incoherently.

He suddenly realized why she was saying such things.......

"Excuse me for a moment."

As soon as he finished speaking, Ihedia's body leaned back.

The fingers that gripped the window frame slowly relaxed.

“What are you doing........?”

Ihedia closed her eyes.

For a brief moment, an ominous imagination raged within Kayan.

Her body lurched backward, completely overwhelmed.

"Stop!"

The short cry barely registered before she crashed out the window.

Thud! The heavy sound echoed through the silent garden.

By the time Kayan rushed to the window in a panic, it was too late.

The sight of the woman, her dazzling blonde hair spilling over the grass, lying like a cold corpse, stunned him.

***

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"Don't go anywhere near Kayan Bayate. I've heard of women from exile who've been taken to his mansion and lost their minds within a month. He's worse than King Patrick."

Elmir was abuzz with tales of the infamous Kayan Bayate, whose reputation had grown since before the arrival of the Anut diplomatic mission.

And the rumors had traveled to every corner of the palace, even to the North Palace, where Ihedia lived.

A black wolf with blue eyes.

A bloodthirsty warmonger, clad in an ornate shell like the god of beauty.

The next Raquil Shabob, or beautiful bastard.

These were all words to describe Kayan Bayate.

It was also why she had been unable to hide her disdain for him since the moment she first laid eyes on him.

And now she was standing here in such a pathetic state, trying to catch his eye.

"What is it?"

Kayan's piercing gaze swept over Ihedia's entire body, sharp as a well-honed knife.

Ihedia's breathing stopped for a moment, feeling as though she had been insulted beyond repair by that gaze alone.

If she were Kayan Bayate, she, too, would be wondering if the woman in front of him was insane.

Ihedia turned her head slightly to the side.

Somewhere, Patrick's servants were watching them.

‘Yeah, just for today, just to make it through the day.’

The image of Evan slumped helplessly in his cell flashed before Ihedia's eyes.

She steeled herself once more.

Tonight, somehow, she had to get into Kayan's bedroom.

"Do you mind if I come inside for a moment?"

Kayan looked down at Ihedia with a frown, as if he was suspicious.

The woman had come to his bedroom at this late hour, dressed to the nines and carrying a tray of drinks.

He wondered if this noble woman, who considered Anut barbarians, had come to seduce him.

Kayan crossed his arms and leaned slightly against the door, speaking in a sneering tone.

"By day, you pretend to be a fair maiden who blushes at the mere sight of a barbarian's attire, and by night, you seek out a man's bedchamber as a courtesan?"

"..."

"Indeed, the women of Elmir have a way with men."

Ihedia made no reply to Kayan's blatant mockery.

Instead, she stared blankly into space, ashamed enough to cower in place.

His sharp voice spoke again.

 "Go back."

Kayan started to close the door, but Ihedia hastened to stop him.

 "Wait."

"..."

"I sincerely apologize for my disrespectful behavior to Lord Bayate."

"..."

"Please give me a moment of your time."

He couldn’t believe his ears for a moment.

Kayan stared serenely at the princess, who looked nothing like a dried up leaf.

It seemed unlikely that she had come as a courtesan, as he had said.

This was the face of a woman who had come to seduce a man.

The face of a condemned man going to the guillotine would be better than this.

Kayan had a reasonable suspicion that this woman was hiding a secret weapon somewhere, or that the liquor she was carrying was poisoned.

But that didn't make sense either.

If she harmed him in this situation, the idiot king's head would be hanging in the middle of the street for the rest of the day.

The power of the Anuts could have torn this insignificant nation to pieces in half a day.

Whatever the Princess’ intentions, it was funny how she could ask to be let into the bedroom and not be able to hide the self-deprecation in her eyes.

The thought of giving herself to the beast must have twisted her stomach.

‘Who the hell do you think you are, Princess Elmir?’

Whenever he remembered why he'd ended up in Anut in the first place, he felt an uncontrollable surge of cursing.

Could it really be that it had nothing to do with her?

Suddenly, a fierce anger welled up in his chest.

"How unexpected, for I have never had a madwoman crawl into my bedchamber on her own two feet."

"..."

"Because, as you know, this body doesn't have the best reputation."

Kayan blurted out the eerie words without a care in the world.

Nevertheless, the young princess stood before him like a stone pillar.

"Well, if that's the case, come in."

It was only for a moment, but Ihedia's eyes held a chill of fear.

But there was nothing she could say anyway.

‘It doesn't matter.’

Kayan grinned, baring his teeth like an angry beast before its prey.

There was no reason to stop a tasty deer from entering a wolf's den without fear.

‘You started this, and I'm not a fan of refusing.’

Kayan's eyes and Ihedia's green ones met in a straight line.

She walked slowly into Kayan's bedroom.

A moment later, the door slammed shut, plunging the hallway into a chilling silence.

****

As soon as Ihedia stepped inside, she set the tray on the table and picked up the flask.

It was so natural, it was as if she'd been planning to do this all along.

Seeing her like that, Kayan couldn't help but laugh.

She had deliberately spilled his drink on the floor in the banquet hall, claiming that her eyesight was not perfect.

Seeing her acting so strangely colorful, he was more amused than angry.

"I suppose your blindness has become normal."

"Sometimes, on days when I'm tired, my vision is blurrier than usual, and I wasn't feeling particularly well that day, don't get me wrong."

The vacant gaze, the expressionless face, the dull tone.

This woman seemed to have a knack for saying the most unbelievable things.

"Elmir must be in a bit of a hurry, seeing as how the precious pearl of the realm is willing to offer herself to a barbarian with an unflattering face."

Kayan spat out the venomous words.

Ihedia's gesture toward the flask paused.

Her breathing became erratic.

It was not like she didn't see this coming.

Pretending she hadn't heard anything, she finished pouring the drink and held it out to Kayan.

"It's made from a grain called Iasin, which doesn't grow in Anut. It's also a rare grain that is only served to honored guests in Elmir."

Kayan stared at Ihedia as she offered the drink, then accepted it with an ice-cold smile.

But he didn't drink it.

His cold eyes reflected his distrust of Ihedia.

Ihedia poured herself a drink as well, her face emotionless.

She downed it in one swallow, staring straight at the man with her fierce eyes.

"It's quite a strong drink, but it has a nice flavor, now put aside your doubts and give it a try."

Kayan formed a smile whose emotions were unknown.

He took the drink from her, stared at it for a moment, then tossed it to the ground.

Ihedia swallowed dryly and glanced at Kayan.

He chuckled and tossed the bottle on the table, too, onto the floor.

The entire contents spilled out, filling the room with a pungent, sweet aroma.

"Forget this shit. I'm in a hurry. You didn't come here for a friendly drink."

Ihedia’s her fingers twitched.

She was a quick thinker, after all.

The drink she handed him was laced with a secret liquid that no one else knew about.

It was water brewed from the petals of the raven that blooms in the North Palace.

It was sensitive to alcohol.

Therefore, by adding it to alcohol, a small amount could be used to get people drunk faster and deeper.

On the other hand, it was also a magical ingredient that, when combined with hot herbal tea, became a stimulant that could withstand hard liquor.

She had barely made it past the eyes of the Northern Palace watchers.

'My only hope of surviving this night is gone.’

It was not that she hadn't thought of the number of such cases, but she felt her heart clench tightly in her chest at the sense of loss.

The stimulant she had taken beforehand had been useless.

Ihedia's despairing eyes drifted to the bottle rolling on the floor, empty.

What to do now?

"That's odd, is there something in your drink?"

Reading the agitated Ihedia's mind at a glance, Kayan cut to the chase.

Ihedia unconsciously clutched the hem of her dress.

"I am not so foolish as to wish harm on the Commander-in-Chief of the Anut on this occasion."

Her head cocked as if to stare down her opponent, her voice filled with the majesty and regality of royalty.

Kayan still didn't like the presumptuous demeanor of the fair princess.

She didn't seem to be afraid, even though she was alone in the bedroom with the insolent Anut. No, she's pretending on purpose.

"Did you slip in some sort of elixir to make me horny, then? Hmm, I don't need that."

Ihedia's brow narrowed slightly, as if Kayan's provocative words had worked.

Suddenly, he wondered how far this noble woman would be willing to put her pride aside.

He leaned back against the couch, his face languid.

"I'm not in the mood right now, and I think the good princess should show some sincerity, don't you?"

Unable to grasp the meaning of the words, Ihedia looked up at Kayan, a little puzzled.

"Why don't you take off your clothes and do some tricks?"

Kayan's brilliant smile gleamed devilishly.

Ihedia's previously impassive face flushed with embarrassment.

***

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Patrick had always seen Ihedia as a virtuous swan who lived only by clear water.

Her unassuming demeanor, which somehow seemed to look down from above, struck a chord with Patrick's twisted sense of entitlement.

It was no different now.

It made him cringe when he recognized the contempt and disgust in Ihedia's eyes for him.

It reminded him of the late King, who had always looked down on him pathetically.

[Do you really want to brag about something like that in front of me? Your younger sister has already begun studying herbalism and medicine, hoping to help the poor. You're pathetic. I don't even want to look at you.]

The late King was openly cold to Patrick.

The reason for this was the new Queen.

It was a forced marriage with an enemy family, so it was no wonder they were estranged.

Less than a week after his mother's death, the king crowned the woman he loved as queen.

The children born to her were Ihedia and Evan.

Patrick did everything in his power to get back into his father's good graces, but all he got in return were harsh rebukes and colorful accusations.

The late King's heartfelt affection was always reserved for those two children.

Patrick gnashed his teeth that one day, when he ascended the throne, he would crush them.

And when he was finally crowned, he destroyed Iheda's fair face and Evan's gunmetal eyes.

All of which the late king used to smile and praise whenever he saw them.

The man he didn't even want to call his father had secretly erased his presence from the royal lineage, claiming that his mother had failed to honor him.

As if that weren't bad enough, he was preparing to crown Evan, who still hadn't dried the blood in his hair (*meaning very young), as crown prince.

If he (Patrick) hadn't taken Lena's advice and planned ahead, he would have been the first to be removed by the late King.

The moment he confirmed that he was indeed the illegitimate child of his mother's affair made his blood run cold, but no matter.

Elmir was all his now.

He decided to savor his victory very slowly, looking at the blood of the late King who was now his puppet.

***

"In the name of the king."

The king’s name.

The brutal words seemed to cut off Ihedia's tenuous hold on life.

An attendant from the royal palace had brought a royal decree to attend to Kayan Bayate tonight.

"Ha."

Ihedia felt her world fall apart again.

There were still surprises left.

Patrick's increasingly vicious harassment was enough to send her over the edge.

After her father, the late King, abruptly left her, she was forced to endure a life of shame and misery that belied her royal status.

Everyone knew it was the royal couple's prank that had turned her beautiful face into such a disfigured mess.

The late king's outrageous favoritism had turned Patrick into a ferocious monster.

But why....?

Why her?

There were plenty of fine women worthy of Kayan Bayate.

Forcing her into his bedchamber when she had an ugly face and no ability to win his favor would have been rather rude.

This, too, was a new kind of insult of Patrick's own devising.

Ihedia decided against such futile speculation.

Whatever the command of the king, she would have to follow it.

"I suppose I won't have a choice anyway."

Her voice, painted with resignation, cracked in the air.

Gathering her thoughts, she confidently demanded the palace attendant.

"I need to see Evan right now."

"It's......."

Bewilderment was evident on the attendant's face.

Then Ihedia shot him a fierce glare.

"For a princess about to be sacrificed to the barbarians, surely you can do that much for her?"

At that moment, the attendant shook his head, unable to look Ihedia in the face as he saw the coldness in her eyes.

He had thought he was looking at the late King, commanding his ministers from his dignified throne.

Such a resemblance would not escape King Patrick's relentless persecution.

Ihedia was always like a dry petal, but at the mere mention of her brother Prince Evan, her eyes would light up with intensity.

The attendant answered reluctantly.

"...With His Majesty's permission, princess."

Shortly thereafter, as soon as the king's permission was granted, Ihedia hurried down the cellar.

Every time she smelled the stench of blood that had lingered for so long, her heart beat faster than she could control.

The cellar, with its five heavy iron doors, had originally been used to brutally torture felons for rebellion.

‘Please, don't let anything happen.’

Ihedia prayed in her mind, remembering her dead father and mother.

It had been a month since she had seen Evan's face.

In her hands were water, food, and herbs to restore his strength, ointments for his wounds, and a thick blanket.

No one had cared for Evan except for the occasional meal to keep him from dying.

If she didn't look out for him, something terrible would have happened to him in there already.

"Ah!"

She stumbled, losing her footing.

Ihedia's faint groans echoed through the lightless space.

Even as she fell, she clutched the basket of Evan's needs tightly in her arms.

She scrambled to her feet and resumed her path.

‘I hope something hasn't happened to him.’

She ran and ran down the long hallway with no end in sight.

Every time she passed through this place, she was plagued by a terrible anguish.

The thought of Evan languishing in his cold cell.

To the outside world, Evan was known to be terminally ill, but he had been locked up here ever since their father died.

Patrick and Lena had taken control of Evan's life and bent Ihedia to their will.

They took great pleasure in seeing him swallow his pride and endure their abuse.

It was for such a bizarre hobby that Patrick hadn't bothered to kill his thorny half siblings.

Perhaps it was  because they were so much like their father, she thought.

"Evan!"

When she reached the cell where her brother was being held, she saw Evan lying there, unmoving, and her heart felt like it was falling off a cliff.

Slowly, Evan opened his mouth to speak.

"Ah, sis..."

Ihedia hurriedly fed him water and medicine.

After a few moments, Ihedia breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that Evan had regained some of his vitality.

"Oh, it's been a long time."

"Sorry, sorry, Evan, I should have come sooner."

"Hey, it's okay."

Ihedia gently removed Evan's eye patch, revealing an eye stained with blood and ooze.

She sniffed and deftly applied antiseptic and healing ointment to the wound.

When she was done, she covered Evan's eyes again with a clean cloth.

Not long after their father's death, Evan's eyes became this way overnight.

The pain of losing his eye was so overwhelming that Evan became a stutterer from the shock.

She could still see Patrick's face as he laughed maniacally at the sight.

Evan forced a smile, as if to comfort his somber sister.

“I-I’m really fine, so don’t come now.”

"I told you not to say that."

"Well, then go, come by sometimes. Oh, just once in a while."

Evan didn't know what it cost her to come to the basement.

He hated to see his sister upset, being ten years younger than her, so he tried to play it off like it was nothing.

"What is that? Wow, it smells like pea soup. Mmm, that sounds delicious."

"Oh, yeah. You must be hungry."

Ihedia said, scooping soup for her brother.

"I think I can stay long today."

"Why, why?"

"Because I've been pestering him, and he did me a favor for once."

Ihedia smiled and stroked Evan's hair.

But Evan's face darkened rapidly.

"Are you, are you lying, are you, is there something going on?"

"No, there isn't."

"Ha, really?"

"Yes. Really."

"..."

Evan still looked pensive, but there was no way to tell.

Ihedia wrapped the blanket she had brought around Evan and spoke in a voice that could not have been more calm.

"Sometimes you just get lucky like this."

Evan's hand fumbled for the hem of his sister's skirt, as if he had an ominous premonition.

Ihedia wrapped her arms around him, reassuring him not to worry.

****

That night, as promised, Ihedia stood outside Kayan Bayate's bedroom.

On the tray in her hands was fragrant liquor and light snacks.

Ihedia looked very different from her usual self, having been tended to by her maids.

She wore flashy accessories and a revealing dress, and to top it all off, her face was half distorted and painstakingly painted.

Even the smell of her sweet perfume on her body was repulsive.

‘You're so disgusting.’

Ihedia snorted softly at the sight of herself.

But the night was inevitable.

She knocked on the door, feeling like she was being led to the slaughter.

There was no sign of life.

Ihedia knocked again, harder this time.

He must be inside.

The tray in her hands vibrated faintly with the rising tension.

She was about to knock again when the door swung open.

The cold gaze of Kayan Bayate greeted her.

***

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    Kayan's smile was as calm as a still lake, but the Elmirs in the room felt like they were walking on thin ice.

There was no one to save the good princess who had become his target.

Queen Lena coughed in vain and glanced at Ihedia.

And Ihedia, who had been sitting like a statue, immediately rose from her seat.

Thud. Thud. Thud.

The sound of footsteps echoed in all directions at regular intervals.

Then, standing before Kayan, she tipped the flask with a calm motion and filled his empty glass.

"Now... What are you doing?"

Kayan's blazing eyes pierced through Ihedia's.

The clear liquid was running down the back of his hand, not into the goblet, but onto the floor.

Ihedia stopped what she was doing and looked a little startled.

But everyone could tell she wasn't serious.

She inclined her head slightly and replied in a flat tone.

"I apologize for the unintentional disrespect. Unfortunately, I am blind in one eye due to an accident several years ago. I hope Lord Bayate will be gracious and understanding."

Having spoken, Ihedia slowly removed her mask.

There were audible gasps from all around as her hidden face was revealed.

No one could fail to recognize the ugly disfigurement on her face.

But there was a world of difference between hearing about it and seeing it with your own eyes.

People's pupils dilated as if they were seeing things they had never seen before.

She’s more clever than she looks.

An eerily cold gaze sliced through Ihedia.

She opened her mouth to send Kayan a smile that seemed to have been sucked out of her soul.

"If your anger is unrelieved, shall I be punished here?"

Her tone was uncertain whether she was being sincere or deliberately sarcastic.

But there was something pitiful about the sight of the princess asking for her own punishment with a face that was embarrassing to look at.

"A punishment is unwarranted. How could I be so disrespectful to the precious Princess?"

Kayan sneered with a low chuckle.

Then the Anuts giggled at the poor princess.

For a moment, Ihedia's lips curved into an unintelligible smile.

All the laughing and chattering froze in their tracks at her unexpectedly sympathetic demeanor.

The surroundings fell silent as a mouse.

"It sounds to me as if you are saying that the behavior you have shown to the Elmir royal family thus far has not been disrespectful."

Kayan's blue eyes widened at Ihedia's belligerent words.

His tone that followed, however, was relatively mild.

"Well, you're definitely mistaken. We've been called barbarians before, but I want you to know that our respect for Elmir is genuine."

Kayan spoke the words without changing his expression.

Ihedia spoke in a clearer voice.

"Your great Emperor Raquil..."

"...."

"During his lifetime, he worked tirelessly to create an Anut with the dignity and cultivation of a great empire."

At that moment, the mood of the Anut delegation quickly turned icy.

Raquil Shabob, the hero of Anut and the pride of the Wolf Warriors.

The moment Ihedia mentioned him, there was no longer any kind of smile on Kayan's face.

Ihedia went on to say something that would have made any Anut blush.

“I understand that the reason Anut’s delegation came to Elmir was all out of respect for his cause. Lord Bayate, and indeed all of you here, are undying loyalists of  Anut, so let's not let personal feelings get in the way of his noble honor, shall we?"

How dared she boldly brought up Emperor Raquil, whom the Anut people respect like their very lives, and criticize their senseless obscenity?

Kayan found it oddly refreshing to see a woman so fearlessly provoking an emissary.

She was better than her pathetic brother, who would give his country's liver, guts, and all to an enemy nation no matter what.

Kayan gazed contemplatively at her face.

Again, he read the deep contempt in her eyes.

 ***

"Ugh!"

A steady stream of angry screams came from the king's bedroom.

Patrick threw everything he could find in his way.

It wasn't just objects.

The floor was littered with courtiers who had taken the brunt of his fiery temper.

Only Queen Lena could stop his rampage.

"Your Majesty, stop it."

Patrick stopped what he was doing only when he spotted Lena.

The light beige carpet was stained black with the blood spilled by the courtiers.

Lena grabbed her husband's hand.

"You must treat your body with respect."

Patrick sat back in his chair, drawn by Lena's hand.

His heavy breathing was ragged.

Lena knew this was coming and hurriedly opened the medicine chest she'd brought with her.

The courtiers lying around them like corpses were not on their minds.

"That bastard dared to disrespect me, the King of Elmir, in front of all those people!"

Lena applied the potion to Patrick's hand and blew lightly on it.

Then, with the most compassionate face in the world, she said.

"That man deserves to die, for he has dared to sully the reputation of the great Herilsmiller. However, if you kill him here and now, it will be difficult to bear the consequences afterward, but with Ihedia, there may be a way."

Lena's arrow struck Patrick squarely in the heart.

"Ihedia?"

"I don't suppose Your Majesty hasn't noticed that his attention has been drawn to Ihedia."

"..."

“From what I've heard, Kayan Bayate's temper is very violent. Every night, the cries of the female slaves brought to the Bayate mansion echo throughout the Anut capital. We don't know the full story, but it's clear that it's a dangerous place for ordinary women to be. But.......”

Lena's few words made the king meek, as if by magic.

"In our hands, a tamed Ihedia might do us some good, for she too is of the royal family. Wouldn't you be willing to sacrifice her for the future of Elmir?"

Lena continued to whisper in Patrick's ear.

"Ihedia, Ihedia................"

"Everyone in Elmir is a chess piece for Your Majesty, and killing them so easily would not be a very satisfying revenge."

Patrick ran a hand through Lena's lustrous auburn hair.

"You are the only one who truly cares about me, after all."

He wanted to rip Ihedia to shreds right now.

Only Lena's insistence that he wait until suspicion of the former king’s and Evan’s untimely deaths had subsided had kept him from doing so.

A series of obituaries from the royal court had been published, sending chills down the spines of the people.

At first, Patrick intended to get rid of Ihedia when the time was right.

Queen Lena had other ideas.

[Your Majesty, have you already forgotten the disgrace you suffered at the hands of the late King? Everyone in Elmir knows that you have been compared to Ihedia and Evan all your life.]

[Today, the maids of the North Palace were regaling me with tales of disgrace, saying that only those with the platinum hair and green eyes inherited from the late King have the rightful place in the royal family of Herilsmiller.]

[She's a disfigured wench, far from royalty anyway, even with her fair face. Now that we've purged all of the late King's people, there's no hedge to protect them, so I'd rather keep them aside and harass them to your heart's content until Your Majesty is relieved].

Lena was well aware of her husband's vindictiveness and inferiority complex.

It was so much like her own.

She roasted Patrick to a crisp, thinking it would be better to inflict a pain worse than death on Ihedia.

And so Ihedia's hell began.

And once again, Patrick fell prey to Lena's charms.

'It would be a different story if Anut's Kayan Bayate could be obtained by using Ihedia, which is difficult to obtain at a low price.'

Not only was Ihedia in an unfortunate situation, but her face was also damaged, so it would have been fortunate if she could be taken in as a concubine for an old nobleman.

If Ihedia could seduce the commander-in-chief of Anut, it would be a lucrative business.

With Evan in his pocket, she would never be able to escape him.

It occurred to him that if the Anut was indeed interested in her, whatever his true intentions, it could be a very interesting situation.

When he finished judging, Patrick's intense emotions were eerily calm.

He summoned his attendants.

"Go to Ihedia and tell her. Tonight, she is to serve Kayan Bayate."

***

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"What are you doing........?"

She tried to pull away, squirming as if something unclean had touched her skin, but Kayan wouldn't let go.

The corner of his mouth remained upward, but there was a coldness in his eyes.

He placed the mask in her hands as she struggled like a fish out of water.

For a moment, their gazes clashed sharply.

Ihedia stopped moving and stared up at him.

"...."

He left the North Palace without a word.

***

That evening, Elmir Palace hosted a grand banquet for the Anut envoys.

Despite the heavenly sounds of music and the dizzyingly sweet scent of flowers, the ballroom was as dry as a bitter cold.

The Elmirs could hardly contain their laughter as the table was set like a work of art.

"Why don't you give us some of Elmir’s finest pearls?" (Kayan)

"That's about it......." 

"From what I've heard, all the pearls that are priceless and most desirable come from Elmir, and isn’t there a pearl of Elmir’s that is the finest of all here right now?" (Kayan)

All eyes turned to the masked woman.

Elmir’s Pearl.

That's what they called her, for she was once a beauty that shook the land.

A sharp silence enveloped the ballroom at Kayan's provocative words.

An icy chill radiated from his deep blue eyes, which seemed to hold a winter sea.

A thin twitch formed at the corners of Patrick's mouth, the young King of Elmir.

How dared he (Kayan), who didn’t know his place, wanted the Princess?

Patrick felt like running up to him and ripping out his tongue and throwing it to the dogs.

And now he felt a sudden surge of compassion for his sister, who was no better than a tattered doll?

Hell no.

Because the commander-in-chief of a beastly horde barely worthy of being called an empire had stomped on Elmir’s royal authority to the ground in front of everyone.

'That arrogant bastard!’

Patrick bit the flesh inside his mouth and barely swallowed his anger.

It was no secret that today's ceremony, ostensibly to unite the two nations, was really a way for the Anut to round up the Elmirs and spite them.

Predictably, Kayan was well intentioned and openly mocked the Elmir royal family throughout the banquet.

Nevertheless, Patrick had to suppress his fiery temper and smile the entire time.

It was foolish to expect common sense and mercy from a wolf clan so infamous that even a nine-year-old child breathed murder.

Five nations had already fallen to their brutal swords.

Elmir could not be the sixth.

"Haha. Lord Bayate’s joke is too much.” 

Patrick chuckled, trying to defuse the situation.

Then a faint murmur of Elmirean sighs came from around the ballroom.

A king who just laughed and fussed in the face of the enemy commander's senseless provocation.

It was the moment when an already tattered national dignity was dragged through the mud.

Meanwhile, the faces of the Anut were covered with a despicable grin.

None of them would consider Patrick a proper king.

Mere prey before a predator.

Kayan was not amused by King Elmir’s demeanor, even as he put on his best smirk.

"Since you so kindly offer me a gift, I have selected the most precious of Elmir’s items, is that not to your liking?” (Kayan)

The relaxed voice, at odds with the tense atmosphere, was aimed at the king again.

Patrick was shaking with the intimidation of Kayan Bayate.

"I'm sorry to hear that, Your Majesty, but I thought you were sincere in your desire to make peace with Anut." (Kayan)

Static again.

The opposite of peace was war.

There was a clear fear in the eyes of Elmir’s ministers.

Elmir, once a great power, had been reduced to a poor, insignificant, weak nation.

Still, Elmir had survived the Anut bloodbath for one reason.

The pride of the Anut, and the greatest red wolf of all time, Emperor Raquil the Great.

"Stop the wanton slaughter and tyranny, and lead their souls to the holy land of Anut."

Until his death, Raquil was deeply troubled by his nation, which grew stronger by the day.

He realized that he could never fully rule the vast land by simply killing and stealing.

Now they would have to work to build an empire and establish some semblance of order.

Anut's current ruler, though lacking in qualities, had inherited his father's power in the name of carrying on the will of the good emperor.

That was why he sent diplomatic envoys to countries that would have otherwise been wiped out without recognition.

Of course, it wasn't really diplomacy in the usual sense.

Their intention was to take Elmir’s place with a piece of paper and a few words.

They wanted to give Elmir extremely unfavorable terms, and if the King didn’t accept them, they'd start a war over nothing.

But Patrick was determined to prevent that, even if it meant selling his only sister.

‘Yes, I can give up as much as that insignificant wench.’

Patrick's gaze flicked to Ihedia, who sat slumped across from Kayan.

For some reason, he'd been subtly urging him to bring the masked princess.

How could he be so eager for such an ugly woman with half a face?

The other half of her face was pretty good, but why would Kayan Bayate want her? Why?

He didn't even know.

"Hmph, are you suggesting a marriage alliance?" (Patrick)

"Oh, nothing too grand." (Kayan)

Kayan tilted his head slightly, one corner of his mouth lifting.

Queen Lena, who was beside King Patrick, thought that even such a haughty smile as Kayan's was beautiful enough to consume a woman's soul in an instant.

Even the incongruity of his crude behavior seemed charming in the face of an elegant nobleman.

Kayan's eyes scanned Ihedia's body with precision, as if he were appraising a gemstone.

"Unfortunately, the precious pearl has been scratched, greatly reducing its value." (Kayan)

He said, swirling his glass playfully.

"It's just as well. I've been short-handed around the house lately. I might end up living in Anut anyway, so what's the harm in getting some experience beforehand?" (Kayan)

"..."

"After all, it's hard to find a proper owner for a defective item. If you bow your head and let Bayate become a human being, we'll treat you well, but if you're taken in by other ferocious Anuts, you might be treated very harshly." (Kayan)

At that, the Anut envoys chuckled in amusement.

The Anuts did not kill the women of their conquests, but enslaved them.

Women, especially those of royalty, were often taken to the Anut palace or to the mansions of public figures, where they lived as sex workers or menial servants.

They would suffer the shame of serving the enemies who had killed their families and destroyed their country.

It was a cruel practice that mercilessly crushed the last remaining pride of royalty.

And then there was the fact that she was described as a "defective object”.

No one would be surprised if they beheaded her right now.

"How dare you......"

Patrick's face flushed with anger.

His fists clenched, and he glared at Kayan.

Then, as if in anticipation, the Anut emissaries raised their hands to the hilts of their swords in unison.

A stroke of the sword here would be the end of Elmir.

Feeling threatened for his life, Patrick instantly became a meek lamb and ducked his hands under the table.

Beside him, Queen Lena leisurely watched her husband's ridiculous behavior and took a sip of her red wine.

At the same time, her eyes sought out the gaze of the unruly beast.

Kayan didn't give a damn about King Patrick's mood.

His keen eyes were only for Ihedia.

The black wolf of Anut, whose power rivaled that of an army, and the broken princess of Elmir, who was of little significance.

The unlikely pairing intrigued Queen Lena to no end.

"How gracious of you to be so concerned about my sister's future. I'm not feeling well enough to sit for long, so I'll leave it to Ihedia to conclude tonight's banquet, and I hope you both have a good time." (Patrick)

King Patrick was desperate to save the last of his pride.

It only made him look more ridiculous in the eyes of the people as he tried to feign dignity.

The banquet hall erupted in laughter as the Anut laughed at the king's cowardice behavior.

Patrick stormed out the door, blushing.

Kayan watched as Ihedia's long lashes fluttered.

Her dead, doll-like face showed no emotion, but she must have been overwhelmed with shame.

‘Where's that cockiness?’

Kayan sipped his drink, sending bitter arsenic toward her.

Watching the scene, Queen Lena smiled kindly and spoke softly to the Anut delegation.

"Although His Majesty has left first, there will be no shortage of liquor and food for those of you who have traveled so far, so please enjoy yourselves."

Kayan gave a small snort as he looked at the queen, who was acting as if nothing was wrong.

All the jewelry she was wearing right now would pay for a year's worth of Elmir’s taxes.

King of Elmir, the idiot, was stuck in his wife's skirt and not taking care of the people.

Even without Anut, Elmir was a nation that would soon destroy itself.

Kayan's hawk-like gaze turned back to Ihedia.

‘For a mere princess of Elmir’.

He was struck by a subtle sense of favoritism as he watched her sit like an ancient statue.

He wondered how long she would be able to keep it together.

Kayan said after downing the contents of his cup in one gulp.

"My glass is empty."

Kayan's gaze remained fixed on Ihedia.

When a nearby courtier stepped forward to pour him a drink, he stopped her.

His sudden action caused everyone in the room to stop what they were doing and turn to look at him.

"Would you please come and fill my cup?"

There was no subject, but it was clear to whom he was speaking.

A Princess of a nation to pour drink.

The rudeness stung.

They waited in silence for her response, as if they had made a promise.

"Are you saying that a barbarian's request cannot be granted?"

The Anuts, who drank from goblets made from the skulls of infants and walked on human skins instead of carpeting, were commonly referred to as savages for their brutal behavior.

When Kayan used the word himself, sarcastically, the mood turned ugly.

***

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