Chapter 5) A Chilling Warning

 

 

The celebration lingered deep into the night.

Around the roaring bonfires, Imperial soldiers laughed, toasted, and boasted of their victories.

Between the clinking of mugs and bursts of drunken laughter drifted another sound—

the quiet sobs of the captured princesses, as fragile as ghosts whispering in the darkness.

Beneath the same night sky, the victors reveled while the defeated mourned.

Some proudly recounted their feats on the battlefield.

Others wept for the loved ones they had lost.

 

"How long are they going to cry?"

A soldier snorted.

"You'd think the world's ending."

Laughter erupted.

"Hah! Keeping Their Highnesses happy is going to be quite the job."

The soldiers tossed around crude jokes, yet their eyes kept wandering toward the wagon where the princesses were being held.

 

There were four beautiful women inside.

Four golden-haired princesses.

Women so noble and untouchable that ordinary soldiers—men who had spent their lives on blood-soaked battlefields—would never have dared approach them before today.

Only hours earlier, they had lived surrounded by loyal knights and devoted attendants.

Now they huddled together inside a battered supply wagon, clinging to one another for comfort.

Their wrinkled nightgowns.

Their disheveled hair.

Every detail spoke of the terror they had endured.

 

One by one, the soldiers' gazes settled upon them.

Some grinned drunkenly.

Others made no effort to hide the hunger in their eyes.

The more ashamed the princesses became...

the more fascinated the soldiers seemed.

 

Bellona clenched her jaw so tightly it hurt.

Beside her, Astina curled into herself as much as she could, desperately trying to disappear from those relentless stares.

At that moment, losing her kingdom no longer felt like the greatest tragedy.

What terrified her most...

was the slow, merciless feeling that her dignity was being stripped away, piece by piece.

 

"Gods..."

One of the soldiers let out a low whistle.

"I've never seen a woman that beautiful in my life."

Another laughed, taking another swig of ale.

"Their kingdom's gone."

"They're not princesses anymore."

A third soldier grinned, intoxication clouding his judgment.

"Hell, I'd die happy if I could hold one of them just once."

"Hey! You trying to get yourself executed?"

Laughter rippled through the camp.

Yet Lud only smirked.

Known for his reckless nature even among the Imperial soldiers, he strode toward the princesses' wagon without a trace of hesitation.

 

The moment the towering man approached, reeking of alcohol, every princess flinched.

His eyes glistened with naked desire.

It was unlike any gaze they had ever known.

It held no admiration.

No kindness.

No affection.

Only the cold appraisal of a man inspecting something he believed he could claim.

Only then did Astina realize how sheltered her life had truly been.

Lud stopped directly in front of her.

The stench of liquor washed over her as he leaned in until their faces were only inches apart.

Instinctively, Astina turned her head away.

 

"So..."

His voice was thick with drunken amusement.

"You're the one the Commander kept looking at."

His gaze slowly traveled over her face.

Then lower.

Astina instinctively shrank back, her breath catching in her throat.

A rough hand suddenly seized her chin, forcing her to face him.

"Ah!"

"Take your filthy hands off her!"

Bellona lunged without thinking.

Before she could reach him, several Imperial soldiers grabbed her and held her back.

Diena remained curled into herself, sobbing as though the world around her no longer existed.

Ruena still hadn't regained consciousness.

Lud merely chuckled.

His calloused fingers slid slowly along Astina's neck.

The instant his rough skin brushed hers, a violent shiver ran down her spine.

 

"Heh... Soft as silk."

Astina recoiled, goosebumps racing across her skin as she desperately tried to wrench herself free.

It was useless.

His grip was far too strong.

It felt as though she had been dragged into a pit of thick mud—the harder she struggled, the deeper she sank.

No matter how desperately she twisted and fought, there was no escape.

The realization crushed her.

Humiliation and terror threatened to consume her whole.

 

Then—

Slice.

A sharp, icy sound cut through the night.

Lud's severed hand struck the ground.

 

"AAAAARGH!"

His scream echoed through the camp as he collapsed, writhing in agony.

The princesses froze.

So did the soldiers.

Blood sprayed across the tent, splattering the canvas in crimson.

Through the blood staining her face, Astina saw Kalis calmly flick the blood from his sword.

His crimson eyes swept slowly across the stunned soldiers.

 

"If so much as a single hair on the princesses' heads is harmed..."

His voice was low.

Cold enough to freeze the air.

"...none of you will leave here unharmed."

Every soldier went pale.

There wasn't a man in the Imperial Army who didn't know what Kalis was capable of.

When he gave a warning...

He meant every word.

 

"Cassian."

"Yes, my lord."

"From this moment on, you will personally guard the princesses."

Cassian blinked.

"...Me?"

His expression made it abundantly clear he found the assignment deeply bothersome.

But Kalis had already made his decision.

Cassian was the one man he trusted above all others.

Steady.

Disciplined.

Utterly indifferent to women.

If anyone could be trusted not to entertain inappropriate thoughts, it was him.

 

"...One knight isn't enough."

Bellona finally forced the words past trembling lips.

"What if something like this happens again?"

Cassian turned toward her.

"You believe you're in a position to make demands?"

"W-We are princesses!" Bellona shot back despite her shaking voice. "Isn't your duty to deliver us safely to the Emperor?"

Cassian gave a dry laugh.

"Princesses?"

He looked at her without the slightest hint of sympathy.

"A fallen kingdom has no princesses."

"You're little different from slaves now."

"Y-You bastard...!"

Bellona's eyes flashed with fury.

Cassian merely shrugged.

"Our orders are simple."

"We only have to bring you back alive."

Bellona ground her teeth together.

One day... I'm going to gouge those eyes out.

 

Watching Cassian deliberately provoke her, Kalis let out a quiet sigh.

"There's no need to worry, Princess."

His tone remained calm and composed.

"Cassian is the finest swordsman under my command."

A faint smile touched his lips.

 

"And the only person capable of defeating him..."

"...is me."

As he spoke, his gaze naturally drifted toward Astina.

She immediately turned her face away.

She couldn't bear to meet those crimson eyes.

Every time they met her own, it felt as though they peeled back every layer of her soul.

"And from this moment forward..."

His voice softened—only slightly.

"You have nothing to fear."

"I give you my word."

"I will see each of you safely to the Empire."

"The Emperor desires you alive."

His words were courteous.

Almost reassuring.

Yet they carried no warmth.

 

As he spoke, Kalis found himself studying Astina once again.

The firelight shone through the thin fabric of her nightgown, tracing the delicate lines of her figure more clearly than when they had first met.

He looked away almost immediately.

...No wonder those fools lost their minds.

"Arthur."

"Yes, my lord."

The young page hurried over.

"At first light, ride to the nearest village."

"Purchase proper clothing for the princesses."

"Several sets."

"Yes, my lord."

Arthur was about to leave when Kalis called after him once more.

"...Arthur."

The boy turned back.

"Yes?"

"Choose something..."

Kalis paused for the briefest moment.

"...as modest as possible."

"Understood, my lord."

Arthur hurried off.

 

Kalis watched him go before letting out a quiet breath.

He didn't understand why he cared what Astina wore.

It wasn't concern.

He simply had no desire to see her like that again.

That was all.

Or so he told himself.

 

 

**************************

The Emperor descended the grand marble staircase at an unhurried pace.

His boots echoed softly against the polished stone, accompanied by the quiet hum of a tune only he seemed to enjoy.

The melody drifted through the depths of the underground prison, disappearing into the cold darkness below.

 

The dungeon was silent.

Bare stone walls.

Iron bars.

And only one prisoner.

The Grand Witch, Meredia.

Bound by the chains of the Imperial bloodline.

 

The Emperor passed her cell with practiced ease before stopping in front of something displayed just beyond the bars.

His lips curved into a satisfied smile.

The Dragon's Heart.

A colossal heart shone like a flawless white diamond.

Though bound beneath countless layers of golden chains, a faint pulse of light still flickered within it—slow and steady, as if it were stubbornly refusing to die.

 

The Emperor reached out and gently traced its surface.

"So much blood..."

His voice was almost affectionate.

"...was spilled to claim you from the Valley of Dragons."

His smile widened.

"And every drop was worth it."

His eyes gleamed with quiet madness.

 

The Dragon's Heart hadn't been placed before Meredia by chance.

It was her leash.

Nothing restrained the defiant witch more effectively than forcing her to watch the heart she cherished remain forever within his grasp.

From time to time, he would deliberately tighten his hand around it, savoring the way the color drained from her face.

He found it endlessly amusing.

 

How strange.

People loved to call love the greatest force in the world.

Yet throughout his life, the Emperor had learned a different truth.

Love was always the greatest weakness.

Life.

Conviction.

Pride.

No matter how unshakable they seemed...

Everything crumbled before love.

Meredia was no exception.

Even the most powerful witch in existence had fallen to her knees for the sake of someone she loved.

 

His fingers slowly caressed the golden chains.

"Those blinded by love..."

he murmured with quiet satisfaction,

"...are always the easiest to control."

His smile deepened.

Stopping before the prison cell, the Emperor spoke without looking at her.

"As expected..."

"My hound never disappoints."

The sound of dragging chains echoed through the dungeon.

At his feet knelt a pale woman, her eyes covered by a strip of black cloth.

Golden chains engraved with ancient curses bound every inch of her body.

 

The Emperor gave the chain a sharp tug.

Meredia trembled as pain shot through her.

"Wouldn't you agree..."

"...Meredia?"

She lowered her head.

"...Yes, Your Majesty."

"The day your wish comes true is drawing near."

His voice was soft.

Almost kind.

"You should begin preparing yourself."

"...As you command."

A cruel smile spread slowly across the Emperor's lips.

 

Then—

Meredia felt it.

Something... was different.

Warmth.

It was coming from the Dragon's Heart.

Her breath caught.

For decades, that heart had remained cold and lifeless.

It had never once radiated warmth.

Panic gripped her.

 

Did something happen to Kalis?

Her thoughts raced, consumed by fear for him.

In her desperation, she failed to notice the subtle change unfolding before her eyes.

Near the base of the once-pure white heart...

a faint crimson hue had begun to bloom.