Chapter 8

“Goodness.” Aristine smiled softly at Stalina. “I was just asking if you had something more to say. I didn’t expect things to take such a turn.”

Aristine clicked her tongue.

“I feel uneasy seeing a princess kneeling on the floor like this. Please stand.”

Aristine’s attitude as she brought Stalina to her feet was just like a ruler bringing her subordinate to stand. Her nonchalant way of speaking and her benevolent attitude satisfied the king of Ilugo.

She’s smart.

Aristine never showed a hint of anger, even when Stalina had knelt for forgiveness. She never chided anyone or asked for an apology, and she didn’t have to because Paelamien had conducted the entire affair for her.

Not only is she aware of her political position, she’s taking advantage of it.

The king’s first daughter was a very smart child. He was impressed that Aristine had managed to coerce Paelamien into doing what she wanted in such a panic when the first princess was known for her ability to seamlessly navigate any social situation.

On the other hand, if Aristine stepped out of line, she could have been accused of ruining the peaceful atmosphere in Ilugo.

Bold. But not too bold. She acts appropriately, the king thought to himself.

If Aristine had gone too far, the situation would have worsened, and that would have brought about worse results than if she had silently endured Stalina’s brashness.

After years of animosity, Ilugo and Silvanus had finally reached an amicable armistice. Stalina had been rude, but if a Silvanian princess had asked the princess of Ilugo to kneel and beg for forgiveness outright, the brittle peace would have immediately shattered like ice.

Moreover, Ilugo had been the victor in the recent war.

But look at the situation now. Since the entire scolding had been carried out by a princess of the same bloodline, the conflict had become the royal family’s private affair.

The king had watched without a word because he wanted to see how Aristine fared. Though he could have intervened at multiple points, he found Aristine had wrapped up the conflict without much room for criticism.

Even if anyone had questioned her, she’d left openings in her argument to retreat into.

I would have simply been satisfied if she could look people squarely in the eye.

The king carefully studied Aristine’s expressionless features.

To be honest, he had wanted the second princess of Silvanus. Who would want the first princess, who was known for her confinement and health issues?

When he had heard the first princess was coming, the king had merely clucked his tongue and frowned. While it was unfortunate, he had thought it wouldn’t matter. All he needed was someone to end the war and cover Tarcan’s political disadvantage.

The king knew that the first princess hadn’t been confined because of her legitimacy or her health, but because the emperor disliked her. Although his intention had been to give Tarcan a politically helpful partner, that was a regret he could overcome.

I thought it’d be enough for her to be alive and not cause any trouble, as long as she could serve her purpose...

The king shook his head. It had been a while since his judgment had been proven wrong. But in this case, that was a good thing.

I can’t believe the emperor sent such a gem to Ilugo without realizing how valuable she is.

Well, the emperor had always been greedy and foolish.

“That’s enough. Stop standing around and sit.” The king of Ilugo ended the commotion with a wave of his hand. “What are you doing barging in like this while we’re enjoying our tea?”

That was when the prince and princesses realized they’d been standing instead of sitting, which only served to show how shaken up they’d been by Aristine.

“You’re right, Father! I was so surprised,” Yenikarina said, wrapping her arms around the king’s arm and curling up against him.

She twittered like a bird and fluttered her eyelashes.

“Why are you causing trouble on such a happy day?” she asked. “You’ve been disrespectful to another country’s princess, and you lashed out at your own sister.”

Stalina and Paelamien flinched when Yenikarina’s eyes veered toward them.

“I’m so sad,” she said, turning to Aristine. “I can’t believe we made such a bad first impression in front of my brother’s fiancée. What if Her Imperial Highness thinks we don’t like her? That’s definitely not true.”

Her tears made the Ilugoan princess look even more doe-eyed. When Aristine failed to react, Yenikarina addressed her directly.

“I don’t know why everyone’s being so mean to you, Princess Aristine.”

Her large eyes were the same color as the king’s, a turquoise blue.

“I’m over the moon to have another sister!” She giggled.

As Aristine quietly watched the other princess, her mouth slowly rose into a smile. Yenikarina warmly held a hand out to her.

“Princess Aristine, may I call you Ari, like we’re actual sisters?”

Aristine’s smile widened. “Of course,” she said.

“Wow!”

Yenikarina gathered her hands over her chest and beamed. Her actions were as endearing as her looks.

“You remind me of my younger sister.” Aristine smiled faintly, recalling her family in Silvanus.

“The second princess?”

“Yes. She’s very pretty and endearing.”

Yes, the second princess truly had been lovely when they were young and even as Aristine watched her through the Emperor’s Eye.

And she still was when she contributed to my confinement.

Aristine’s faint smile bloomed like a flower.

“Does that mean you think of me as a sister, just like the princess of Silvanus? I’m so happy!”

Yenikarina blushed with embarrassment but couldn’t hide her happiness. Her eyes curved into sparkling crescents.

But her innocent features hid entirely different thoughts.

Oh, this is a piece of cake for me.

Her face truly was the most effective weapon in her arsenal. It worked everywhere and on anyone. Even Aristine, a foreigner, was falling for it.

Well, she did live all those years in confinement. Having someone treat her with such hospitality and warmth must make me seem so charming to her.

Aristine had been surrounded by Ilugoans who were a head taller than her since her arrival. Seeing someone equally as petite and cute as her must have struck a chord.

Maybe my small frame reminds her of her home and family.

Yenikarina’s maternal grandmother had been a foreigner, so the princess, too, looked soft for an Ilugoan because of her foreign blood. That was probably what reminded Princess Aristine of her sister.

Oh, this is boring. She wasn’t humiliated in front of His Majesty either. What if this dumb girl starts to like me? That will be annoying...

Yenikarina glanced at her father. The king seemed satisfied with Aristine, and he wasn’t hiding it either.

I guess I have no choice but to be friendly to her.

That was what His Majesty would want.

I need to keep positive about this. If I get closer to her, it will be easier to stab her in the back in the future.

She turned to Tarcan, and their eyes met immediately. Yenikarina gave him a lovely little smile. She enjoyed the brief repulsion that flickered across his face.

As long as I can convince that stupid princess I’m on her side, I’ll be able to help my brother Hamir.

She could warn Aristine not to become close to Tarcan.

She would approach the princess, who had lived in isolation, with brightness and warmth. Between herself and Aristine’s frightening and barbaric husband-to-be, who towered over her in clothes soaked in monster blood, who would the princess be more wary of?

Yes, that sounds fun.

Yenikarina offered Aristine a pretty smile.

“Ari, if you find anything uncomfortable in the palace, please feel free to tell me. I will help you with anything! Really!”

Including your relationship with your husband.

Aristine responded to Yenikarina’s small whisper with a smile. “Sure. Thanks.”

This was the answer she had been seeking, but Yenikarina’s face froze.

Did she... just speak down to me?

Was the halfwit treating her like a lady-in-waiting?

“Oh, pardon me. I should have asked. Princess Yenika, may I speak more casually with you?”

Don’t you dare.

However, Yenikarina managed to dredge up a smile. What an annoying woman. Even more so because she didn’t look apologetic at all, even if her tone was.

“Oh, well, it actually takes some time for me to warm up to others, so—”

Before Yenikarina could say it was too soon, Aristine cut in.

“You remind me so much of my sister. Didn’t you say that I can treat you just as though you were my younger sister?”

What?!

Yenikarina was stunned into silence.

“Oh, did you only say that to be nice? I’m not good at recognizing social cues. I thought you were being honest... I’m sorry.”

Aristine lowered her eyes. She really was beautiful and pulled off the pitiful look perfectly. Yenikarina was already annoyed, and Marten’s sigh of sympathy only irked her more.

You thought I meant all that?! Why would I ever want to be your sister or be treated like I’m a child!

Only Hamir was allowed to do that. But what came out of Yenikarina’s mouth in the end was, “Of course I meant it! I wouldn’t lie!”

Yenikarina pulled a wide smile out of the depths of her soul.

“All right then,” Aristine said.

Her smile faltered at Aristine’s change of attitude. She’d managed to maintain a smile her entire life through everything that had happened, but this day was the worst she’d ever had to put up with.

Damn it, has she lost her common sense to the walls she was confined in or what?!

She had thought the princess was smarter after how she’d treated Paelamien earlier. In any case, Yenikarina assumed she wouldn’t have to uphold etiquette either if the Silvanian princess was speaking so casually.

“Oh, then, can I speak more casually with you, Ari?”

“Oh.” Aristine didn’t miss a beat. “My younger sister always kept decorum with me, even when we were little.”

Yenikarina was at a loss for words. She felt faint.

“Pfft!” she heard from beside her.

It was Marten. His shoulders shuddered, at long last having failed to hold in the laughter he’d been keeping at bay.

Yenikarina stared at him for a moment, then put on a fresh smile.

“Marten,” she said.

“H-huh?”

“Is something funny? I’d like to be in on the fun too.”

“Huh? No, um...”

“Well?”

“Sorry.”

“What are you sorry about, brother?” Yenikarina prodded him. “Did you do something wrong?”

Without much interest, Aristine watched Marten struggle to respond to Yenikarina’s provocation. She soon turned her attention away, as she’d had her sights set on someone else from the very beginning.

The king of Ilugo, Nephter.

Sharp eyes similar to Tarcan’s followed her. The turquoise blue irises were filled with amusement.

That’s a good sign.

She’d only silenced Stalina for her own convenience, but it seemed she had gained something much better in the process: the interest of the king of Ilugo.

He probably wanted someone who could act as Tarcan’s proper wife, since he cares about Tarcan so much.

At the moment, Ilugo had no crown prince. The fight over the position was intense, with two factions fighting for the future throne. One was led by Tarcan, her future husband, and the other by Hamir, the queen’s son.

Yenikarina was also part of Hamir’s faction as the queen’s daughter. All the other princes and princesses had been born from consorts.

Tarcan is an exception.

As the son of a commoner, Tarcan hadn’t been born from a consort with a proper position within the harem. This meant the circumstances of his birth set him at a political disadvantage.

This was why most of the royal family supported Hamir. Their ire stemmed from their fundamental distaste of the commoner’s blood in Tarcan’s veins. In a general sense, they were averse to new power dethroning the current nobility. No matter the issue, the nobility were always a united front when it came to keeping their power.

And that is what politics is about.

Aristine had witnessed everything through the Emperor’s Eye.

Once all the royals were seated, the maids served warm tea and desserts. Aristine looked with wonder at the red liquid filling her teacup.

The scent of the tea that rolled up from the cup and wafted into the air was ravishing. Even the jellies sparkled so appetizingly that they grabbed her attention and refused to release her.

But I’m here to sell myself—or rather, to sell my product today.

Aristine had to prove to Tarcan how useful she could be, and she was rather confident she could.

Aristine had a good memory. While she might lack in other areas, she never forgot what she saw with her Emperor’s Eye.

Aristine had never had anything else to do while confined to her palace, where no one visited her. She couldn’t activate the Emperor’s Eye anytime she wanted either, so Aristine had spent her time replaying what she had seen in her mind.

That had been her only way of living life. She would sit still before a puddle of water, watching the images reflected at her, reminiscing about what it was like outside, and remembering the reflections.

Aristine trained herself not to forget, and soon, she was unable to.

Her habit also forced her to observe the situations she saw through the Emperor’s Eye from several different perspectives.

She would not only be attentive to conversations but also to the flowers blooming behind the speakers, the blue sky above them, and the sparkle of the sunlight. She had dedicated these memories to her mind so she could tenderly look back upon them as she lived in her gloomy room that was dark despite having no shades.

Naturally, her powers of observation had grown.

Why was this important? Because Aristine had seen the king of Ilugo through her Emperor’s Eye before. Not once, but several times.

That was how Aristine knew the king’s secret, which not even Tarcan knew.