Chapter 3
“S-‘Something precious,’ you say?!”
“Hm… I heard there are three princesses here, yes? So hand over the one who will become my bride. Seems like a pretty good deal, don’t you think?”
The King of Ezan erupted in anger, but some of those present actually felt relieved. The murderous tension that had filled the room just moments ago had vanished.
“W-What nonsense…!”
“Don’t worry. I keep my word. If my dear younger brother, whom I’ve longed to see, comes here, I will withdraw. But the deadline is two weeks.”
The single word ‘younger brother’ sent shockwaves through the hall. What did he mean by that? Surely, he didn’t mean they were related by blood?
The thought buzzed around the room, but soon the astonishment faded. No one could believe that such a barbarian shared royal blood with the Emperor of the Empire. That notion seemed too absurd to entertain, and the atmosphere slowly returned to calm.
“…”
“I’m looking forward to it. Whether the Emperor will actually come to save this place. And… which of you will become my bride.”
No sooner had he finished speaking than Argent began to walk slowly across the hall. As if to remind everyone that death still lingered in the air, he dragged his massive sword along the floor with a grating sound until he came to a stop before Gaia and Itar, the two princesses.
“They say the princesses here are more famous than the kingdom’s gold. So think carefully about which one of you will become my bride. It’ll be one of you.”
The princesses’ faces twisted with disgust. More than fear, what infuriated them was that their futures were being bartered away to a barbarian king. But Argent didn’t care. He left those thunderous words behind and exited the hall. The moment he did, Gaia screamed at the top of her lungs, a sound sharp enough to tear eardrums.
But that didn’t mean they were free. The knights Argent had brought still filled the palace and hadn’t budged an inch.
“I won’t let this go. I won’t forgive this!”
The King of Ezan shouted furiously, glaring at the royal knights crumpled against the walls.
“Go! Go to the Empire immediately! Tell them we’ve been invaded! That the barbarian king dared to threaten me—threaten to take my daughter Gaia! Go, now!”
The king’s voice echoed through the hall. No one stopped him.
Five knights bowed and ran off at full speed.
However, the princesses reacted very differently. As soon as Argent left, Gaia and Itar stormed over to Pri and struck her hard on the head. A sharp thud rang throughout the hall.
“Are you insane?! Huh?! Because of you, I almost became that barbarian’s bride!!”
“You’ve completely lost your mind, Pri.”
Yet Pri did not let go of the queen. She didn’t even flinch at the insults and violence, as though she was used to it. Her eyes stayed fixed on the door Argent had exited through.
*
Nothing seemed to change much afterward. The barbarian knights still filled the palace, watching every move of the royal family. Tensions were high.
The king was no longer allowed to meet with anyone. Even the rest of the royal family were restricted; they couldn’t eat together, and any meeting longer than thirty minutes was forbidden.
“At least we’re still allowed to take walks. That’s something.”
“Princess…! How can you say that’s a relief? We’re walking on thin ice. Everyone’s barely hanging on—some say they’d rather die.”
The handmaiden tending to Princess Pri’s hair grumbled under her breath.
“Jel, don’t say such things anywhere. If they hear that, they might just kill you on the spot.”
“Ah… i-it was a joke! I don’t want to die—I meant other people feel that way.”
“Let’s just go for a walk and clear our heads.”
Pri smiled gently at Jel in the mirror and stood up.
“Aren’t you scared, Princess? Those barbarians out there… They’re monsters. They killed children, old people—everyone. And you’re just going for a stroll like it’s nothing?”
“Why not? They’re only pressuring Father. You’ve seen it too, haven’t you? So I’ll walk and live my life as usual. Staying still like a bug waiting to be squashed… That’s exactly what they want.”
Brushing off Jel’s concerns, Pri opened the door and stepped outside. The knight standing guard turned toward her in alarm as the door opened.
“Where are you going?”
“For a walk. Must you follow me for that too?”
“Yes.”
“Then follow me.”
Pri walked ahead without waiting for an answer, indifferent to whether the knights followed or not. It wasn’t as if she was comfortable with the situation—but nothing had changed for her personally since their arrival.
If anything, it’s better now that I don’t have to see my sisters every day.
Smiling faintly, Pri wandered the palace freely, exploring places her sisters never bothered with.
Gaia was always too busy preparing to become Empress of the Empire, spending all her time decorating herself. The brilliant second princess, Itar—rumored to be the next ruler—constantly criticized Pri, saying she should be studying how to rule the kingdom wisely instead of wandering around.
Even the basic responsibilities expected of a princess were passed on to Pri by turns. With that pressure now gone, this was freedom.
“Everyone hates it, but… as long as it’s not dangerous, I don’t mind it so much.”
The wind played with her platinum hair as she walked.
“Princess…”
Jel always worried about Pri. She was just different from the other princesses. She didn’t like dressing up but enjoyed helping Gaia with her appearance. She didn’t want to be queen but handled Itar’s duties with ease. She loved reading but didn’t want anyone to know.
And despite being a princess, she was constantly sneaking out. Jel was endlessly anxious.
Then Pri stopped in front of a small hedge maze.
“I’ll go alone from here.”
“But—”
“There’s only one entrance to this garden. Where could I possibly run off to? Beyond it is just a little lake.”
There was a strict order from Argent not to be forceful with the princesses, so the knight held back.
“Very well. But you know what will happen if you try to escape, don’t you?”
“Don’t worry. I know better than anyone.”
She had no intention of escaping, even without threats.
“Jel, wait here.”
“But…”
“It’s fine.”
With a soft smile, Pri walked into the maze, leaving Jel behind. Her face brightened once inside. She knew this place like the back of her hand. The garden maze had been built long ago as entertainment for the royal family.
They used to release wild beasts in the lake and trap slaves in the maze for sport, watching their deaths for amusement.
Running her fingers along the hedges, Pri walked slowly through the maze.
This was the only place in the palace where she could breathe.
And at the end of the maze, that secret place revealed itself: a small lake known only to a few. Hidden by overgrowth and located at the far end of the maze, it wasn’t large—but it was Pri’s favorite place.
Her only place of freedom.
But today, it was already occupied.
The barbarian king, Argent, stood there.
“I didn’t expect you to know about this place.”
Her voice sharpened instinctively. He had invaded her sanctuary.
“You really are fearless. Most would turn and run the moment they recognized me as an enemy.”
Before she realized it, Pri had walked up beside him. Startled by her proximity, Argent hastily put his mask back on.
“I don’t feel the urge to run. Actually, I’m curious. Why did you spare us? You could’ve killed us easily. And why hide your face? What’s behind that mask that you’re so desperate to conceal?”
“…You don’t need to know.”
He let out a dry laugh at her bold questioning.
“And why do you think I spared you? You people are just amusement to me. I enjoy the game. And when it stops being fun, I can kill you anytime. So be careful. Curiosity can be fatal, Princess.”
“My name is Pri.”
Anyone else would’ve fled by now—but Pri stood her ground.
She had a strong feeling this man wouldn’t kill her. In fact, she even wondered if the rumors about him were exaggerated.
Argent… Yes, that had been his name. She remembered the day of the invasion clearly.
He may have been rough with her father, but the knights who came under his command didn’t treat her or her sisters like conquered royals.
Sure, Gaia had screamed at the knights when they laid hands on her. But Itar and Pri had both found it strange—how cautious the knights had seemed around them.
They were more careful than I expected.
The rumors might have been false.
“So, Princess Pri. Are you not afraid of me?”
“…I believe the Emperor will come to save us. And… somehow, I don’t think you’ll kill us.”
“How amusing. You’re so different from that day. To think a fragile girl whose neck I could snap in an instant is trying to read my heart…”
“That day?”
