Within the cramped chamber, a faint smell of blood lingered in the air.
Lancaster's face was clouded with a sullen look as he glared at the stunningly beautiful woman before him, who seemed entirely at ease.
He had never expected that the royal "bloodhound" had such extensive reach. Despite his utmost caution in fleeing to the border, they had managed to track him down so quickly.
"You can't escape,"
Gwen flashed a charming yet chilling smile. "I'm not here to capture you. Perhaps... we can have a chat."
"How merciful of you, Princess," Lancaster retorted sarcastically. "May I still address you as my fiancée?"
He emphasized the last word with a particular emphasis. The guards on duty overheard and began to whisper among themselves.
Gwen remained noncommittal and turned to lock the door.
"Until The Holy See officially annuls it, our betrothal still stands."
"Marry me. I'll provide you with everything you need."
She stated calmly, straightening the jeweled brooch on her collar as she fixed her gaze on Lancaster.
Lancaster's vivid emerald - green eyes stirred a storm of memories within her.
In a previous life, it was the owner of those eyes who had personally set aflame the fire that consumed the Linsey Palace.
She had perished in the inferno, leaving no trace of her bones.
Who could have foreseen that the man who was now fleeing Linsey in a wretched state, a traitor and the fiancé she had spurned - Lancaster von Garcia - was the one who would one day become the emperor of the continent, a tyrant feared by all...
And she, Gwen Ackerman, the first and most noble princess of the Kingdom of Linsey, would merely serve as an insignificant stepping stone on his vast and ambitious journey. Worse still, due to her youthful rejection of the betrothal, she had become a laughingstock across the continent.
Reborn at the age of sixteen, she was determined not to allow such a ludicrous fate to repeat itself!
"How dare you propose such a condition?" Lancaster said angrily. "It was the royal decree that wiped out the entire Garcia family... and now, you expect me to marry my enemy?"
He was like a maddened beast with bloodshot eyes. He pushed her hard against the ashen wall. His fingers tightly gripping her slender, alabaster neck, and let out a scornful laugh full of madness and helplessness.
The royal family has truly shown itself to be heartless and lacking in mercy.
Gwen gasped for breath, her desperation driving her to lunge against Lancaster's injured right arm with all her might. He winced in pain and released her.
A vivid red mark that showed his violence encircled her pale, delicate neck, yet she still held herself with regal dignity, her back ramrod straight.
"Death or endure humiliation. The choice is yours," she said coldly.
Lancaster was bewildered. He knew full well that Gwen, one of the most accomplished ice mages in the kingdom, could freeze his blood with a mere twitch of her fingers.
So why didn't she?
Gwen's flaxen hair, nearly white in its paleness, tumbled over her shoulders. The tear-shaped mole at the corner of her eye and the mark on her neck imbued her with an aura of vulnerability.
It made Lancaster feel as if he had damaged a work of art crafted by the gods, and an inexplicable sense of guilt and pity welled up within him.
But she was of the Linsey royal family, his enemy. How could he feel pity for her?
Gazing into his enraged, bloodshot eyes, Gwen spoke calmly.
"It was Prince Freud who proposed to His Majesty that the Garcia family be exterminated, not I."
"I'm here to help you."
In both her past and present lives, she had never encountered this so-called 'ruthless and cruel' emperor in person and had known nothing about him. Evidently, Lancaster would not readily believe her.
Regardless, she couldn't allow him to slip away.
If she couldn't turn Lancaster into an ally, it would be better to end his life here than to allow him to flee to the neighboring Kingdom of Salir and become a persistent threat to Linsey in the future!
Lancaster's silence confirmed her suspicions. He did not trust her.
With a determined look, she was the first to extend her hand. "I'll help you get revenge on Freud, and you...
"You want me to support Prince Tyr's ascension to the throne, right?" Lancaster interrupted.
So, it was all for the sordid royal power struggle. He let out a silent sneer in his heart.
King Cepheus of Linsey had five children, divided into three factions. Among them, Prince Tyr and Prince Freud were locked in a bitter struggle for the position of heir apparent. And Gwen was in alliance with Prince Tyr.
What other purpose could she have besides recruited him to Tyr's side and jointly opposing Freud?
"You misunderstand," Gwen chuckled softly. A faint glimmer of resolute light kindled within her frigid ice-blue orbs, hitherto marked by an air of indifference.
Lancaster towered over her. She tilted her head back and placed her hand on his chiseled jaw.
He was taken aback. "Wh..."
The fire in her eyes burned with an insatiable ambition.
"It is I who aspire to the throne."
Gwen spoke with a casual air, but to Lancaster's ears, it was like a thunderclap on a clear day, resounding with a powerful impact…
Was she mad?! Such words, if spoken aloud, would be an act of treason even more severe than his own.
"You're insane," he murmured, looking down at the woman's stunningly beautiful face, now so close. "According to the laws of Linsey, a female is prohibited from inheriting the throne."
Gwen smiled, a delicate curve playing on her ruby lips.
"I have no intention of obtaining the throne through legal means at all."
"A coup…" Lancaster stared at her.
She wasn't here to help him. She was clearly dragging him into the abyss.
But...
Those almost transparent blue eyes held a blazing fire of desire which kindled a fierce interest in him.
Enchanting and dangerous, with a deadly allure.
He was eager to discover what kind of an ambitious soul she was and how far she was willing to go to fulfill her ambition.
"I don't ally myself with the inept," Lancaster said, his emerald-green eyes fathomless.
"Show me your sincerity."
He was the sole male descendant of the Garcia family, a direct heir of Emperor Norman Garcia, the only emperor in the history of the Varion continent.
This surname itself signified nobility, purity, and power, possessing an extraordinary charisma.
This was the fundamental reason why the Linsey royal family had seized every opportunity to annihilate the Garcia family.
The most noble surname within Linsey could only be Ackerman.
The scattered members of the Garcia family in other kingdoms had also been wiped out over the millennia since the fall of the Empire Norman...
He assumed Gwen merely valued his surname. Little did he know that she had her sights set on a far grander future.
Lancaster was born to be an emperor. Only he could unify the shattered, war-torn world.
Forge peace from the ashes of war, beneath the hooves of horses and the blades of swords.
To safeguard Linsey in such a volatile situation, allying with Lancaster was the only way.
She was a princess of Linsey, blessed and supported by the people. She must shoulder the corresponding responsibilities.
But how could she demonstrate her sincerity to Lancaster?
...
After a moment's contemplation, she made up her mind.
Facing Lancaster's cold, aloof countenance, she remained expressionless and pressed her lips gently against his crimson ones.
The kiss was as innocent as a dewdrop in the morning light.
Lancaster shuddered. The softness of her lips caught him off guard, and his mind went blank for an instant.
Moreover, it was the most beautiful woman he had ever beheld who was kissing him.
The most dazzling golden pearl of Linsey.
When the kiss ended, a faint blush tinted Gwen's cheek, yet she still feigned composure.
"My sincerity?" She smiled.
"My beauty, wealth, and power - from this moment on, will all be shared with you."
There was not a trace of lust in her eyes, yet she was breathtakingly beautiful.
"Is there something even the princess is not proficient in?" Lancaster teased, a half-smile on his lips.
"Ah...?" Gwen took a step back, at a loss for words. C-Could it be that her kissing skills were truly so lacking?
Lancaster raised an eyebrow and backed her into a corner, his hand resting on her shoulder.
She had no escape and was forced to meet his gaze.
He was so warm... Gwen, who had practiced ice magic since childhood, had a much lower body temperature than an ordinary person.
"You..." She was about to say something.
Unexpectedly, her lips were claimed once more by Lancaster.
Compared to her naivete, Lancaster's kiss was passionate and possessive, leaving her dizzy.
Well, compared to him... her kissing skills were indeed rather poor. She thought, her body leaning against the hard wall, on the verge of collapsing.
Lancaster encircled her slender waist. Whispered in her ear.
"Consider it a first payment, Princess."
D-Did this mean he had agreed?
Gwen pushed him away slightly, her fingers trembling ever so slightly as she adjusted the ruffled lace on her collar. She took a deep breath, attempting to regain her composure and said in a solemn tone, "Since you've accepted the first payment, follow me."
She walked ahead, and the soldiers bowed their heads in respect.
Lancaster hesitated for a moment and then followed.
He had no other choice. For now, it was better to "ally" with Gwen.
Rather than risk being captured, he thought that staying by her side might offer him a better chance to escape at an opportune moment.
"Today's events, aside from those present here, I don't wish for anyone else to know." Gwen looked at Luther. "I entrust this matter to you, General Luther."
The location where she detained Lancaster was the border fortress of Sistine in the neighboring kingdom of Salir.
Strictly speaking, Lancaster had already escaped Linsey's territory.
Although Linsey and Salir were 'friendly neighbors,' she still overstepped her authority and interfered in Salir's military affairs.
Such a matter was best kept under wraps. There was no telling what kind of political repercussions it might have.
As the commander of the Sistine fortress, Luther deserved her respect.
"Yes," Luther nodded in understanding and bowed in acceptance. However, a flicker of doubt crept into his mind.
He couldn't help but think that the princess's lips seemed a bit swollen...