Chapter 3 – A Time Not Meant for Me (3)

I must have misheard.

“I hereby formally announce the engagement of my daughter, Elhermina, to Cariel.”

Engagement? To Elhermina? Me?

“Control your expression,” a voice hissed beside me, pulling me back from the brink of shock. The princess, ever composed, observed the stunned silence of the ballroom with an unnerving calmness.

She knew. There was no other explanation for her composure.

Why? How?

This had to be another one of their damnable political maneuvers.

The Hero-Emperor and my father, leader of the Nine Heroes. Two figures who commanded absolute loyalty and respect within the empire. And because of that, they were a threat to the established aristocracy, those who had clung to power even through the chaos of the demon wars. Though their numbers had dwindled, their bonds had only strengthened. But that wouldn’t stop the inevitable tide of change.

“Not a single word of warning… and now this?”

“You weren’t listening,” came the dry reply.

I glanced at my parents. My father offered a weak, almost apologetic smile. My mother remained impassive.

“You sought me out on the terrace deliberately.”

“There are no coincidences in my plans,” the princess stated flatly. Though barely a whisper, her voice carried clearly.

“My involvement wasn’t necessary. The bond between your father and the Emperor is already strong.”

“The world doesn’t believe in such things.”

“What?”

“Displays of loyalty are insufficient. True bonds are unbreakable.”

“And that is…?”

“Blood. The ultimate weapon of royalty.”

Did she even consider herself anything more than a pawn in their game?

The Emperor finished his announcement. The princess fell silent, as if waiting for the inevitable reaction. Murmurs rippled through the crowd, but no open dissent. Shock, yes, but quickly masked by feigned enthusiasm.

“A joyous occasion!”

“Another cause for celebration!”

“A blessing for the empire!” Their blatant hypocrisy, their eagerness to embrace this sudden development as if preordained, made me sick.

Even the other descendants of heroes, usually so eager to flaunt their superiority, seemed genuinely surprised. Their shock quickly turned to anger, though carefully concealed. Their glares, however, were unmistakable.

If a certain someone were present, I suspected I would have been dragged away by now. Even the prince, two years younger than the princess, looked ready to tear me apart.

The hollow compliments continued, even from those who had been mocking me moments before. Empty words of celebration, promises of eternal blessings… it was nauseating.

====

The prince, with his striking features—a perfect blend of the Emperor’s crimson hair and the Empress’s obsidian eyes—even managed to make his current expression of venomous rage look almost appealing.

“Wow. Truly unexpected.”

“……”

“You disgusting wretch. Did you think pretending to be noble would erase your filth? And with my sister…”

“Your Highness, please calm yourself.”

“Calm myself?! You dare tell me to—?!”

Let them play their games. I was no longer swayed by their outbursts. Perhaps that was what irritated them most.

“How long can you maintain that facade of superiority? What lies did you spin to manipulate them into this farce?”

“Your Highness, that is quite enough.” A boy with a composed expression intervened, gently restraining the prince. Not stopping him entirely, but preventing a full-blown eruption. The others, however, continued to glare at me with open hostility. Most were a few years younger than me, save for the boy who had intervened, and…

One girl, who sighed, her expression more of awkwardness than animosity.

“Are you finished?”

“What?! What did you say to me?!”

Engaging with them was pointless. I’d learned to ignore them, though it never truly solved anything.

“Repeat yourself. What did you say?”

“Your Highness…”

“Don’t stop me, Ryunan. Do you think I’ll actually kill him? The only son of a great hero… oh wait, not anymore.” He sneered openly. I met his gaze, unmoved.

“You must have been desperate to resort to such underhanded tactics. It all makes sense now.”

“Your Highness, your behavior reflects poorly on you. Perhaps we should return inside.”

“And what? Play audience to their little charade?” The prince was unnervingly perceptive. He wasn’t simply a prince for show.

“Let me offer you some advice. Go to the Emperor and annul this engagement yourself. That’s the simplest solution. You… with my sister…”

“Your Highness.” Whether they restrained him or taunted me, it was equally infuriating. I refused to engage.

Even here, in a relatively secluded part of the garden, I felt the eyes of the dispersing guests upon us. A source of amusement, no doubt.

“Consider this a warning. Do it by tomorrow.”

“Do it yourself.”

“What?”

“Has my opinion ever mattered?”

At seven, for reasons lost to time, I had agreed to leave the capital for three years, living as a political hostage in both allied and enemy nations. Diplomacy, they called it. Sacrifice. The memory was hazy. Even after returning at twelve, I’d never truly readjusted to life here.

“I’m a puppet. You all know it, and I know it best.”

“So don’t waste your breath on me. Take your complaints to those who actually make the decisions. A child can ask for sweets, but only the parent with the coin can grant the request.”

“There you go again! With your lofty pronouncements! As if you were—”

“When have I ever been anything?”

It was a strange thing. They were the ones who excelled, yet they seemed determined to find fault with me. I should be the one burdened by inadequacy.

But it was a pointless thought exercise. I’d wasted enough time blaming myself. They were simply projecting their own frustrations onto me, using me as a target for their anger.

“If you’ll excuse me.”

“I didn’t give you permission! You can’t just—”

“Your Highness.”

“…Tch!” That’s why you’ll lose to a woman. I wondered what expression he would wear if I did become the princess’s husband. The thought was fleetingly amusing. But impossible. Even if it happened, it would only lead to further misery.

As I finally turned to leave the palace grounds—

“Hm? What’s that?”

A presence, unseen but vividly felt. A voice, drawing me in. A strange compulsion led me deeper into the palace, until I found myself standing before…

“The… treasury?” Why here? Being caught here would be disastrous.

“???” But there were no guards. The treasury, famed for its impenetrable security, its triple-locked doors requiring an imperial decree to open… was unguarded. Open.

As though in a trance, I stepped inside. Amidst the countless treasures, my gaze was drawn to one in particular.

“No, this isn’t right.” I resisted the urge to approach, turning to leave.

-Are you just going to leave?–

The voice stopped me.

“What?”

*-Yes, you. You can hear me.*– A wave of unease washed over me, my tongue heavy in my mouth. I turned back.

-Hmm, a familiar face. Let me guess. Black hair, like hers. Golden eyes. And that… unassuming yet striking handsomeness. You must be their child, yes?–

“Their child?”

-Luelde. Ermina. Such nostalgic names…- The voice was filled with a strange longing.

Before me stood a woman seemingly sculpted from gold. Clad in a simple white gown that contrasted sharply with her radiant golden hair, which cascaded around her like a shimmering waterfall. Her skin was like polished ivory, but it was her eyes that truly captivated me. Vibrant, molten gold, they held a hypnotic power.

A golden woman. No other description seemed adequate. She was the embodiment of beauty and brilliance, her very presence radiating a power that ensnared my gaze, my very soul.

“Who… are you?” I asked, drawn to this forbidden place by a spirit’s desperate plea.

-Before you ask that… isn’t there something you should be doing?–

“Excuse me?”

-Lingering here will only lead to… misunderstandings.–

“That’s…” She wasn’t wrong.

“Who goes there?!”

“No! How—?!”

“The treasury! It’s been breached!”

It was too late.

I was now an intruder. An unauthorized intruder in the Imperial Treasury.