An Unexpected Proposal

November 26, 2020

"…Are the shackles really that dangerous?"

Alicia turned her gaze toward Cabelenus. But there was nothing unusual about him—he was still bickering with Mikael, looking just as healthy as ever.

"Shackles are a form of magic that renders the wearer incapable of disobeying the caster’s commands."

"Then… His Highness…"

"The one who placed the shackle on His Highness was the late Emperor. So, as of now, there is no one who can issue direct orders to him."

"Then… does that mean it’s possible to control him indirectly?"

"Yes. There is only one person who can do that. And unfortunately, that person was never satisfied with just that much."

Alicia’s forehead furrowed deeply. She had a feeling she knew exactly who Gajev was referring to.

"When the late Emperor died, the secret behind the shackles was lost as well. But the current Emperor still seeks to create the perfect shackle—to fully control His Highness."

"You mean His Highness is bound by both shackles?"

"Fortunately, no. As of now, only the late Emperor’s shackle remains."

"…"

"But we can’t afford to be careless. Now that the shackles have been created, the Emperor will do anything to place a new one on His Highness."

To make him Emperor. Gajev’s face twisted into a grim smile.

"It doesn’t make sense. If it’s just about power, why go through all the trouble of making His Highness the Emperor?"

"The imperial family has always been defined by their black hair and golden eyes. But the current Emperor’s eyes are green. That has always been his greatest weakness."

"…Are you saying that’s why he wants to make His Highness Emperor?"

"If His Highness takes the throne, then the issue of the green eyes disappears. And as long as the shackles are perfected, controlling him from behind the scenes won’t be difficult."

Gajev ran a hand roughly through his hair. Jerpeneus’s attachment to Cabelenus had never been about affection—it had always been about possession.

"That’s absurd."

"That’s the kind of man the Emperor is. And the shackles are just a means to that end."

"…"

"You didn’t see it yourself, but I still vividly remember the death of Princess Christi."

That day, Veloa had fought soldiers until her very last breath. Even when her body was sliced apart, she continued her attacks like a moth to a flame—until she ultimately took her own life. But it was clear that none of it had been her choice. She had screamed endlessly, begged for her life, struggled against her own body. But her limbs had moved against her will, like a marionette hanging from invisible strings.

"I don’t mean to pressure you. I just ask that you consider it. The shackles are a great risk."

"…"

"If His Highness could be freed—"

"Mom! Look! Rex is chewing through a huge bone!"

A bright, cheerful voice suddenly interrupted. Alicia turned her head. Mikael was still sitting on Cabelenus’s shoulders, wildly waving his arms to get her attention.

Alicia bit her lip. She had never imagined such a sight—never thought it would suit them. And yet, now that she was seeing it, they looked so natural together, like a perfect picture.

And the more she looked, the more she didn’t want to break this moment.

***

"What kind of price would I have to pay to remove the shackles?"

Alicia stared blankly at the open book in front of her. But she hadn’t turned a single page.

"Alicia?"

"…"

"Alicia."

A large object suddenly waved in front of her face. She blinked, startled. Cabelenus was standing before her, holding a stack of documents.

"…Ah, I’m sorry. I was lost in thought."

"You didn’t sleep, did you? You were up all night again."

"There were a lot of books I needed to read, so I lost track of time."

In truth, it wasn’t the books—it was the thoughts weighing on her mind. Alicia fidgeted with her fingers, recalling Gajev’s request. She should have told Cabelenus the truth. But when she saw the desperate look in Gajev’s eyes, she hadn’t been able to say a word.

"I told you, if you push yourself too hard, I won’t share anything with you."

"But—"

"You’ll also be banned from attending meetings."

"…"

"I’m not budging on this. Maintaining your best condition is basic."

Alicia tried to lighten the mood with a smile, but Cabelenus’s expression remained stony.

"Your Highness stays up all night frequently as well."

Her eyebrows lifted slightly. She knew full well that the lights in Cabelenus’s office rarely went out.

"That’s me. Maybe it’s because of the monster’s blood, but I don’t need as much sleep or food as others."

"Your Highness…"

"Overworking yourself is only effective in the short term. If you want to fight for a long time, you need to rest and stay in top condition."

Alicia’s lips trembled slightly. She wanted to argue, but he was right.

"I’m sorry. I’ll be more careful."

"As long as you understand. No need to apologize."

He hadn’t meant to be overly strict, but the way her shoulders drooped still bothered him. With a quiet sigh, he handed her the report he had been holding.

"We finished searching the area around Schwarhan Castle. There was no suspicious activity. There are no monsters here."

"Are you sure?"

"It’s possible they gave up once Mikael lost his power."

"I’d like to believe that, but…"

Even after reading the report, Alicia’s expression remained troubled. Cabelenus took back the document but continued watching her.

"You still look uneasy."

"I met the monsters myself. I know how desperately they wanted Mikael, and I don’t believe they’d give up so easily. That’s why I can’t let go of this anxiety."

"Then we’ll just have to make sure you don’t feel uneasy. If I show you solid proof, that should help, right?"

If he had spoken of vague hopes, she wouldn’t have been convinced. But his words were oddly reassuring. Cabelenus never spoke of miracles—he simply accomplished things with his own hands.

Alicia clenched her fist as she looked at the piles of documents stacked on both her desk and the floor.

"Is there anything else we need besides the search?"

"Well…"

Her lips parted slightly. There was something she wanted to ask—but she wasn’t sure if she could.

"If it’s another report you want, feel free to read anything you’d like."

"What?"

"The scope of the documents is broad, so some of them might not be relevant. But it won’t hurt to read through them."

Cabelenus must have misinterpreted her hesitation. He stepped aside, revealing another pile of documents behind him.

"…"

"Why? Was there something else you wanted to say?"

"No, nothing."

Alicia shook her head and took a step back.

"You look like you want to say something."

"…"

"Don’t hesitate. Just say it."

"I… I want to hear your story."

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

"My story?"

Cabelenus's expression became unreadable.

"When I think back… I realize I never really knew anything about you."

"…"

"We agreed to try, didn't we? To work together. That means we should know more about each other…"

Alicia trailed off and pressed her palms against her cheeks. The heat radiating from her skin felt embarrassingly warm.

"What did Gajev say to you?"

"…"

"So… are you pitying me?"

Cabelenus tilted his head slightly, his voice carrying a strange edge.

"Pity you? No! It’s not like that at all!"

Alicia clenched her fists instinctively, startled by the accusation.

"Then what?"

"…I heard that your body isn’t normal."

"A body with a monster’s blood could never be normal."

"The problem isn’t the monster’s blood."

Alicia’s shoulders slumped.

"…Sounds like you heard something unnecessary."

Cabelenus sighed and pressed his fingers to his temple.

"It’s not unnecessary."

"This isn’t something you need to concern yourself with."

"If our situations were reversed, would you say the same thing?"

"…"

"I’m not pitying you. I’m worried about you."

She had intended to remain calm, but the more she spoke, the more her voice trembled with emotion. Alicia took a deep breath to steady herself.

"Don’t hide it. Tell me the truth. Just how dangerous is your condition?"

"Even if I tell you, nothing will change. It’ll just—"

"That’s not consideration. I don’t want that kind of consideration."

"…"

"Eight years ago, you decided for me. You kept everything to yourself, thinking I’d just worry unnecessarily. And I… I couldn’t bring myself to say anything because I didn’t want you to hate me."

A heated breath slipped through Alicia’s lips.

"But you know what? Looking back, we never really knew each other at all. We just assumed things about each other, making our own judgments."

"…"

"I don’t want to make that mistake again. Once is enough."

Alicia clasped her hands together, but it did little to stop the slight tremble in her fingers. She feared death now. But there were some things that had to be done, even when afraid. That was what she believed.

Even if she truly had the power to grant wishes, she would never be able to surpass a man who had spent his entire life on the battlefield. If there was anyone capable of dealing with the enemies who threatened Mikael, it wasn’t her—it was Cabelenus. If it came down to it, it was better for him to survive.

"If you don’t want to speak first, then I’ll go."

"…"

"I had a special power. I was born with it, but at some point, it disappeared."

"…"

"But after Mikael was born, the power returned to me. And since then, I’ve used it to escape dangerous situations."

Through experience, she had learned that the cost of using her power wasn’t fixed—it varied. A simple wish could consume more life force than expected, while some grander wishes required surprisingly little. Over time, she had figured out how to use it efficiently.

"I can grant people’s wishes."

"…"

"Maybe… my power can help remove the shackles on you."

Alicia smiled gently, the same way she did when comforting Mikael. She had lost much life force in the past due to vague wording. The broader a wish’s scope, the more it took from her. But that wasn’t a bad experience—it had taught her how to minimize the cost. The more precise the wording, the less life it consumed.

She still didn’t fully understand the shackles or what price they would demand. But before making a move, she needed to understand them completely.

"I’ve never tried breaking a spell before, but it’s worth—"

"Don’t."

"What?"

"Don’t do it."

"What are you saying?"

"Power like that is never that simple."

Cabelenus shook his head firmly.

"…You don’t even know how my power works."

"You’re right—I don’t. But it’s obvious. If it were as easy as granting a wish, the first thing you would have done is eliminate anyone threatening Mikael."

"…"

"You wouldn’t be making that serious expression, or spending days agonizing over it."

His gaze bore into her, making Alicia feel as if she had been seen through entirely. She had no idea how to respond, so she simply bit her lip.

"If you really want to hear my story, I’ll tell you. But if it’s just to push yourself into danger, then no."

"…"

"I’m still here because of you."

The hand on her shoulder was firm, almost painfully warm. Alicia swallowed dryly.

It was ridiculous. Just by looking into his eyes, she felt like she had been pulled back eight years in time. Like she could reach out, touch his cheek, kiss him, and whisper that she loved him.

So much had happened. But his eyes—those golden eyes—had always remained fixed on her.

"It’s strange… how quickly I fell for you."

"…"

"After the experiments, I thought I had lost the ability to feel anything. But somehow, you were always able to shake me."

"…"

"You were the only one who ever made me feel anxious. To the point where I wondered if I had gone insane. I constantly wanted to be near you, to have all of you."

"Your Highness…"

"If anything even hinted at harming you, I couldn’t do anything. I wouldn’t do anything. That’s just how I am."

Cabelenus sank to his knees before her.

He had asked himself this countless times—how was it that this small woman could make him feel so small?

He still had no answer.

He simply liked it.

He liked the way his eyes followed her, even if it was by chance.

He liked the sound of her voice so much that he made excuses just to hear her speak.

He wanted to give her everything she wished for.

And yet, at the same time… he wanted to be the only thing she had.

Even if it was just pity—he wanted her eyes to remain on him alone.

"My father was the one who placed the shackle on me. He had intended to pass the golden eyes to my half-brother, so he began conducting experiments, using monsters."

"…"

"His goal was to replicate the legend of the empire’s founding—to use the power of monsters to eliminate the influence of the temple. But he didn’t want to risk himself, or his own son."

"So… he chose you."

"Because I was royal by blood, but also because I carried my mother’s blood—the woman he feared most."

A deep, low growl rumbled in Cabelenus’s throat.