Roy leaned back in his chair, the glass of wine in his hand catching the flickering light. He swirled the crimson liquid slowly, savoring its aroma. Despite the luxury of the drink, his expression was grim, haunted even. Across from him, Erika sat with her hands clasped tightly, her focus locked on him.
"So, what did you do? You said you had planned something," she pressed, her voice laced with impatience.
Roy placed the glass down deliberately, the sound sharp against the wood. He stared at her for a moment before speaking.
"I was being watched constantly," he said, his tone colder than the wine. "One wrong move, one slight misstep, and it would have been the end of me. But back then, there was something I couldn't figure out—something that lingered like a shadow."
Erika furrowed her brow. "What was it?"
Roy's eyes darkened as they flicked to hers. "Can't you shut up and let me speak for once?"
Erika flinched at the sharpness of his tone, leaning back in her chair. She muttered something under her breath but chose not to interrupt again.
Roy exhaled sharply, collecting himself. "Back to the tale," he said. "There was another complication. Something I hadn't anticipated."
Erika tilted her head slightly. "What now?"
Roy leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. "Princess Rina started to fall in love with me."
"What?" Erika exclaimed, her eyes widening. "Narzan's princess? Falling in love with you? Why?"
Roy's lips curved into a faint, bitter smirk. "Love doesn't need a reason, does it? That's what they say. But even I was blindsided when she confessed to me. Although, in hindsight, the signs were there. Her constant attention, the way she sought me out for the smallest of things, her insistence on having me accompany her… It was all so obvious."
Erika's shock began to settle, replaced by curiosity. "And what did you do?"
"I declined her," Roy said flatly. "Politely but firmly. I made it clear that I didn't feel the same way. But instead of giving up, she became even more persistent, more infatuated. It was suffocating."
"So, what did you do next?" Erika asked, leaning closer.
Roy's smirk grew colder. "I came up with a plan—a way to rid myself of her once and for all. I arranged for her to be engaged to Riku Sugen, a powerful noble from a prominent family. I thought that if she were tied to someone else, she'd forget about me and move on."
Erika frowned. "And did it work?"
Roy's expression soured. "Not even close. She despised Riku from the moment they met. She refused to let him near her, wouldn't allow him to touch her. Her hatred for him only intensified her obsession with me. It was maddening."
He paused, his gaze falling to the glass of wine before him. "At that time, I didn't understand love. I still don't. It's an emotion that's always been foreign to me. But Rina… She was relentless."
Erika's voice softened. "So, what did you do?"
"I decided to use her," Roy said bluntly, his tone devoid of emotion.
Erika stiffened. "Use her? How?"
Roy's smirk turned into a sinister grin. "I wrote a letter to your father, Miral. A letter filled with lies. I told him to send thirty of his best assassins to kill Princess Rina. I knew he'd fall for it—after all, it seemed like a strategic move against Narzan."
Erika gasped, her eyes wide with disbelief. "You ordered her assassination? Why would you do that?"
Roy chuckled darkly, the sound void of warmth. "Relax. It wasn't what it seemed. The letter was a ploy. I knew Miral would take at least a day to act. That gave me the time I needed to set my real plan into motion."
Erika's hands trembled slightly. "And what was your plan?"
Roy leaned back, his gaze unflinching. "I asked Rina to go on a date with me the next morning."
"A date?" Erika repeated, incredulous.
"Yes," Roy said, his tone sharp. "She agreed immediately. Love makes people blind, after all. I played the role of the devoted knight, leading her exactly where I wanted her to go. It was the perfect setup."
Erika's voice rose, filled with anger. "You used her feelings for you as bait? Do you even hear yourself?"
Roy's gaze turned cold as ice. "You think I had a choice? I was trapped, Erika. Trapped in a game far larger than either of us. Rina was a pawn, nothing more. Sacrifices had to be made. I wasn't about to let sentimentality cost me everything."
The room fell into a tense silence, the weight of his words hanging heavy in the air.
"And what happened next?" Erika asked finally, her voice barely above a whisper.
Roy took another slow sip of wine, savoring the taste. His expression was unreadable, his eyes distant. "That," he said, placing the glass down with finality, "is a story for another time."
The room felt colder, the tension palpable. Erika sat back in her chair, her mind spinning with the implications of Roy's actions.
**To Be Continued…**