Chapter 5
Unlike the others, the King of Ezan, who finally appeared before his family after two weeks, looked quite haggard. As if that weren’t enough, he knelt blankly on the floor like a man who had lost his soul.
The bravado of the first day was long gone. Having realized his defeat and feeling betrayed by the empire’s failure to send aid, he now only bought useless time.
“Still… it’s not over yet… If we wait just until tonight…!”
“You think something will change once night falls, King of Ezan?”
“Of course… He will come. He will.”
“Human hope truly has no end. Well, it’s not too much trouble, so I’ll let you have your way.”
Argent scoffed as he sat back on the throne.
From that point on, time passed at a painfully slow pace, feeling like an eternity. Late that night, Argent ordered that all the royal family members be brought before him.
Nothing had changed in the meantime—no, it was worse now, for hope had vanished entirely. The emperor of the empire never came.
“Let go of me!”
But Gaia, just like on the day she was captured, screamed and shouted at the soldier dragging her forward.
“Do you even know who I am?! How dare you barbarians touch me! Let go!”
“…Still as stubborn as ever. Even now, when the promised day has come and the emperor hasn’t even bothered to show up.”
At that moment, the tolling of a bell echoed into the hall, breaking the silence of the ground. Argent, who had been lazily moving only his fingers on the throne, rose to his feet.
“I waited as you asked, through the night and until the next day. And yet… no one has come to save this place.”
The faces of all present—including the King of Ezan—hardened. Gaia’s expression was particularly striking. Having loudly proclaimed that she would become the empress, she could not hide her humiliation.
“If you have something to say, now is the time.”
“……”
“I even went out to greet them myself in case someone appeared… but apparently, no one came?”
“That can’t be! He… he wouldn’t just abandon me like this!”
Something had clearly gone wrong. Gaia’s face stiffened. Shouting hysterically just moments before, she now shook her head in denial, as if running away from reality.
This couldn’t be. The emperor had said he loved her. He said he would come for her soon and told her to prepare to be empress. This couldn’t be happening. Something must have happened to him.
Gaia shook her head and let out a hollow laugh. Stroking the tiny ring he had given her, she sank weakly to the floor.
“I thought I’d get to see my dear younger sister again, but she didn’t come either. Everyone looks heartbroken, but I, too, am disappointed.”
“……”
“The only way any of you could have lived without fear… is now gone.”
Argent strode forward swiftly, stopping in front of the three princesses.
“So what now? I plan to leave this place with my bride tomorrow morning.”
“You plan to leave… without doing anything else?”
Itar, who had held back for too long, finally spoke. With her father bound and mentally broken, she was the only one left who could step forward.
“Is that so undesirable? Would you rather I raze this country to the ground like I’ve done to others?”
Itar quickly shook her head.
“If you don’t want that, then choose a bride. I don’t have much patience.”
His red eyes glowed even brighter under the light. A terrifying aura, one unlike anything seen before, radiated from him. If they didn’t choose now, it seemed he might kill them all on the spot. Terrified, the two princesses pushed the one in the middle—Princess Free—toward him.
“Who do you want?” one of them asked.
But Free didn’t comply with their expectations.
“Free… just be quiet…!”
Afraid that they might be chosen instead, the two princesses had gone pale. Death here would be preferable to becoming the bride of a barbarian king.
“Let’s see. Should I choose Princess Gaia, who’s said to be the most beautiful, or Princess Itar, who seems like she could rule my nation well? It’s a tough decision.”
Once again, he didn’t include her in his considerations. That annoyed Free. She smirked and turned to look at her sisters.
“Sorry, sisters. But it seems I’m not the one he wants?”
“What are you talking about?! Of course you’re the one who should go!”
“Really? I’m not so sure.”
Free looked between him and her sisters, then took a step back.
“Figure it out among yourselves.”
But Gaia grabbed her sister’s arm tightly.
“Get a hold of yourself, Free. Listen. If you go, I’ll come rescue you. Okay? My beloved sister. You know I’m destined to be the empress of the empire, and Itar needs to rule our country. That means only you can go.”
“Funny how I’m ‘beloved’ only now.”
“You understood what we meant that day, didn’t you?”
Itar gritted her teeth and glared at Free. What nonsense was this now? But Free remained composed.
“Oh? So the three of you actually talked about who would become the bride of the barbarian king?”
“Wonderful.”
Free stood up and looked at them.
“Considering how smitten he was with Gaia, it might be fun to send her with him.”
“N-no…!”
“Or maybe Itar, who’s so essential to this kingdom. That might be amusing too.”
“……”
Then came the words that stunned everyone:
“But didn’t you say the choice was ultimately ours? In that case… I’ll go.”
Even Argent, who had been intimidating the two older princesses, froze at her unexpected declaration.
“What did you say?”
“I just… felt like it. Earlier, I didn’t want to go, but then you looked like you hated me. What’s wrong? Do you still not want me?”
“How strange. Are you not afraid of me?”
No… she shouldn’t go. Argent swallowed the words he couldn’t say and looked at Free.
“What’s there to fear? Or do you really dislike me that much?”
“……”
“You were the one who said it didn’t matter which Ezan princess you took. So let’s go. Or were you really planning to kill my whole family and me right here?”
Only then did Argent shake his head and turn away.
“A promise is a promise. I said only one princess needs to become my bride. So prepare her. The princess will leave tomorrow morning.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
As he said this, Argent walked out of the room.
He wanted to say no. He didn’t want Free. But the words wouldn’t come. Instinctively, he knew he shouldn’t take her. And yet… he felt oddly relieved when she said she would go with him.
Because now he could have her by his side.
‘As long as I don’t fall in love with her, it’ll be fine. I just have to let her stay near me and let her spread her wings. She liked to read, didn’t she? She…’
Lost in thought, Argent lowered his head.
Meanwhile, back in the hall, Itar stood up happily and hugged Free tightly.
“Yes! That’s what you should’ve done. Good thinking.”
But Free shook off her embrace and walked toward the door Argent had exited through.
Seeing a side of her sister she’d never witnessed before, Itar’s face stiffened.
“How dare you reject me? You’ve lost your mind. Free, if you act like this, don’t expect anyone to come rescue you. Got it?”
But Free’s steps didn’t falter in the slightest.
“Enough. I’m no longer your little sister.”
“W-what are you saying right now? Are you talking back to me?!”
“Yes. So goodbye.”
“Free! Free!!”
Shocked by her sister’s new attitude, Itar tried to get Gaia to support her, shaking her awake. But Gaia, half-mad from the realization that the emperor would never come, didn’t care about Free anymore.
She simply rushed toward the King of Ezan, yelling and demanding to know if he had even contacted the empire properly.
***
Morning came swiftly. Because the decision had been made past midnight, there wasn’t much time to prepare. Only Zel, crying beside Free as she quietly packed her things, offered her company.
“What is happening to the world… For the princess to become the bride of that barbarian! And this very morning… Oh my, oh dear…”
“Zel.”
“Yes…”
Zel, who had been crying so hard she couldn’t even see, finally wiped her tears.
“Take care of yourself.”
“Y-you’re leaving me behind too, Your Highness?”
“They’re barbarians. I don’t even know where or how I’ll be living. I can’t take you with me. It’d be too much hardship.”
“But, Princess…!”
“I’ll write when I can. You’ve worked hard being my maid all this time.”
Free gently stroked Zel’s cheek.
“Princess…”
“Without you, life in the palace would’ve been unbearable.”
“Then you must take me with you! How can you go somewhere like that alone?!”
But Free shook her head firmly. She knew exactly what awaited her.
Barbarians. No one knew exactly where they lived. Some said their kingdom was just a small collection of houses hidden in the mountains.
True to their name, the barbarians were said to eat human flesh and uphold the custom of one man having multiple wives.
‘There might already be several wives.’
Free gave a bitter laugh and lowered her head.
‘No, wait. If he already has multiple wives, then maybe he won’t look my way. His curiosity in a small kingdom’s princess will fade quickly.’
With that thought, she shook her head.
“Princess… I… I must report this formally. Why must you—!”
