Chapter 101: For That Man’s Sake 1

“Haaah…”

Returning to her quarters consumed by weariness, Cazeros’s thoughts mirrored her mother’s assumptions – preoccupied with finding any means of escape.

‘Truly, I should never have come back here in the first place…’

Since parting from Santara’s side to return to her homeland, the Dragonian Empire, and her identity as Sophia, Cazeros harbored two principal reasons – however reluctant.

Firstly, witnessing Santara reunite with his family despite their shared circumstances made her realize she could not persist in such a life indefinitely.

Though her dissenting mother had imposed this course, Cazeros understood her parents likely shared the same concerns as Santara’s – prompting her decision to pay them a long-overdue visit, however begrudgingly.

Secondly, and more crucially, were the precarious circumstances surrounding Bohemia that so troubled Santara from her perspective.

While his masterful weather-predicting stratagem had secured a miraculous victory, the toll exacted upon Bohemia could hardly be dismissed.

In contrast, the formidable Holy Empire – whose might even gave the Dragonian Empire pause – had only suffered losses easily replaceable given time, as evidenced by their swift deployment of a comparable force to the Palatinate.

Thus, the overall trajectory gravely imperiled Bohemia. Seeking to leverage her standing as the Dragonian Princess to aid Santara despite her reluctance, Cazeros had decided to return.

However…

This ‘homecoming’ borne of such complex motivations had become a source of profound regret in this very moment.

Upon the long-estranged youngest daughter Cazeros’s return, her parents – particularly her mother, Duchess Catleena of Sophia – had expressed immense joy, even hosting a lavish celebratory banquet in welcome.

Yet Catleena’s subsequent actions diverged sharply from Cazeros’s expectations.

Prior to her arrival, Cazeros had reasoned thus:

Though Santara, the son of a Holy Empire count, was her enemy’s foe, the Bohemian territory he represented had openly rebelled against that very empire – even defeating its armies outright.

Hence, by the adage ‘the enemy of my enemy is my friend,’ Cazeros believed sufficient justification and pragmatic interests existed for the Dragonian Empire to ally with the heretical forces led by Bohemia at this juncture.

From the Dragonian perspective, any dissension weakening their powerful neighboring Holy Empire would undoubtedly prove advantageous in myriad ways.

With this outlook, Cazeros had sought to sway her mother, the ruling duchess, toward forging an alliance with Bohemia and the heretical factions.

However, her endeavors met unequivocal rejection from none other than her own mother.

When Cazeros voiced her dismayed confusion, the duchess had firmly stated her reasons:

“Such actions run counter to the Dragonian Empire’s interests. Our path lies ever eastward into those vast, untamed expanses – not westward into that morass of chaos.”

Though a mere two centuries old, the Dragonian Empire’s territories rivaled ancient powers like the Holy Empire and Turk Sultanate spanning over six hundred years. Moreover, those domains continued rapidly expanding virtually unchecked.

This stemmed from the Dragonian Empire’s deliberate focus eastward while the western powers endlessly warred amongst themselves. Comparatively barren and devoid of cities or holdings, those eastern realms proved ripe for effortless conquest.

In modern terms, the Dragonian Empire adeptly exploited a ‘blue ocean’ strategy.

Thanks to this approach, they accumulated their sprawling dominions with minimal losses, allowing relentless, accelerated territorial expansion.

Consequently, the Dragonian Empire had consistently disregarded western affairs unless directly threatened – a stance no western nation dared challenge, for none wished to rouse a ‘slumbering dragon’ over religious differences from a pagan empire.

An astute ruler would not needlessly provoke such peril.

Guided by this overarching policy, the Dragonian Empire unsurprisingly maintained its indifference toward the Holy Empire’s internal strife and fragmentation from religious conflicts.

Their rationale: why meddle in the self-destructive feuds of others?

Moreover, any ill-conceived interference risked uniting those fractured imperial lords against a perceived ‘invader’ once more.

Hence, when Cazeros argued this represented an opportune chance to overthrow the Holy Empire, Duchess Catleena could only firmly refuse – dashing her daughter’s hopes of securing Dragonian aid for Bohemia’s cause.

Upon Cazeros’s dejected insistence that lacking such support gave her no reason to remain, her mother responded by effectively placing her under house arrest.

While unable to provide assistance, the duchess refused to release her beloved daughter into such perilous circumstances once again.

Thus, Cazeros found herself wracking her mind yet again – seeking any avenue to break free from her current iron-clad confinement, however fruitlessly.

‘…Haaah… If Lord Santara were here, he would have devised an escape plan long ago. Why can no effective solution come to mind?…’

Scarcely two months since her arrival, yet Cazeros already felt herself going mad with longing to see that man’s face once more.

The light illuminating her life, the one she truly loved – Santara.

Aching for even a fleeting glimpse of him while avoiding her guardians patrolling outside, Cazeros endlessly ruminated on any potential means to break free.

‘The main gates are impossibilities… But leaping from these windows is equally unviable. My Aura alone cannot grant flight, and Seirens constantly patrol the grounds below…’

Her every potential exit ruthlessly monitored, even the slightest disturbance swiftly quashed – the chances of exploiting any unrest in this very capital Sophia were virtually nil, as Cazeros keenly recognized.

“Well, have you ascertained the truth?”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

Kneeling before the duchess, the woman presented a missive – prompting Catleena’s features to register surprise upon reading it.

“Wicked Spirits?”

“Indeed. By all indications, the deed was committed shortly after Lady Cazeros’s departure.”

“…I see. You are dismissed.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

As the woman withdrew after delivering the missive, fury etched itself across Catleena’s countenance.

‘Santara… Could it be his doing? This wretch… Daring to toy with our daughter?’