Silence followed the emperor's declaration. The old general had known the young emperor well.
He was one of the only people who knew that the emperor had been cursed, and he had taken an oath never to be able to speak of this in his life.
And because he knew the truth behind the emperor's condition, he knew the emperor would do what he had promised. He would not allow himself to back out.
An alpha who had chosen its mate could not be underestimated. And an alpha as stubborn and powerful as the emperor was even more challenging to deny.
'I never wanted this for my son. I raised him as a beta and sent him into the army, and I did not want him to become part of any politics. I never imagined that my actions would have such consequences.'
The alpha emperor continued to exert his presence until he reached his carriage. He slipped inside, but he was aware of the look he was getting from his cousin and guard.
"Do not ask me any questions. I assure you that I was right when I declared that I would marry Meria. Nothing you say will change my mind."
"..."
"I will also force the council's hand until they agree with my decision. There will be no complications, and I will keep Meria happy with me. If you still do not believe me, then-"
The royal guard sighed before Rucia raised her hand and cupped her head.
"I am not worried about 'you,' Keria. I know you are tough and will find a way to convince those old council fools. But you are also physically 12, which means you cannot bond."
"You just asked Meria to be brought into the court when you cannot even mark him as your own. But more importantly, will Meria agree with your decision? He just sees you as his best friend's younger brother he never met. It will be awkward for him."
The emperor closed his mouth, and all his protests were left unspoken on his tongue.
'Oh fuck! I did not even think about it. Meria not liking me before was never a possibility, and I-I will seduce Meria. Even if I have been cursed, I am still me. I am confident enough in my skills and my face.'
"I can tell you are about to do something troublesome, my dear cousin. Well, whatever you are planning, make sure you remember your age. You are still 12, and that will not change soon."
The emperor looked angry (he pouted), but it did not affect his cousin. She continued to tune him and his tantrum out.
She needed to brace herself for the elders and their endless nagging. She especially needed to close her ears once elder Grand Minister Ferin started speaking. That older man would annoy her to no end.
'Ugh, I hate old men and their politics. I am glad my cousin does not desire Grand Minister Ferin's omega granddaughter. No, I am so glad he loves a beta like General Meria. It will not cause any drama to occur.'
...
"W-What just happened here?"
The old general looked at his omega wife, who seemed to struggle with what had happened.
What happened had been a bitter pill for him to swallow as well, but he was glad that he was allowed to keep his son alive.
"Hey, a-are we no longer going to execute Meria? We had already prepared everything and got rid of his things. We need to finish this job now. Dear, hurry up and give the order."
Fiona tugged at his brother's ex-fiancé to make him hurry up. She even acted cute to ensure that he would follow her words.
But the alpha, who had been "in love" with her minutes ago, quickly pulled his hand out of her arms. The ex-fiancé looked pale but also angry.
"Y-You! What do you think you are doing? Do you think I am blind? I saw how you left my side when you saw Chief Guard Rucia. You are just playing with me, right? To think I risked my life for you…."
The ex-fiancé cursed. He admitted that he had made a mistake, which made Fiona flinch.
'Ah, shit! I thought that this man was dumber than he appeared, but why is that not the case? Why did he suddenly turn so sharp?'
Fiona schooled her outer self to appear soft and harmless. Her big eyes looked at the alpha in front in hopes of forgiveness.
She had been humiliated enough by Rucia's rejection; she could not handle being abandoned again.
"Ugh, this is pointless. General, we never officially broke off my engagement with Meria, right? You cannot possibly think of engaging him with the emperor. It would be a crime and-"
"Ah, you are right. How forgetful of me not to sign the annulment papers you sent to my house until now. I will sign them and return them to you soon."
The ex-fiancé suddenly felt foolish for opening his mouth.
He could have used his unannealed engagement with the future empress on an excellent deal with the emperor. The young alpha was powerful, but he was also emotionally driven and a mere 12 years old.
But now, he had cut that route off himself.
"Why are you making such a regretful face, Mr. son-of-finance-minister? You were worried about our reputation up until now, right? But since the emperor decided to pardon my son and aid me in finding the one who framed him, you should be happy."
"Your name will not be associated with a traitor."
Those words made the Ex-fiancé look even paler. He was the one who orchestrated this whole scenario, and he knew that he had left tracks.
If he were caught, then even his father would be unable to save him.
Heck, his father might be the first one to abandon him to save the life of the rest of his family.
'Tsk, I need to erase all the evidence that points toward me. And I will also place evidence that blames Meria instead. With more evidence against him, even the young emperor will be unable to save General Meria.'
The ex-fiancé was already planning what he would do next. He had a plan ready to execute.
But little did he know that the one who had fallen into a trap was him.