"Wait, f-fealty contract!?"

A Fealty Contract is akin to a servant contract or an obedience agreement. It constitutes a blood-bound covenant, and any signatory who fails to adhere to the stipulations and requisites of said contract will either forfeit one eye or face death.

It is stupid to trust an offender without clear evidence to trust them. Besides, the story is fresh from her mind—the original story. 

"Yes, do you have a problem?"

"B-but your majesty, t-that's no different from a slave contract!"

She smirked and nodded. Yes, it is not distant from a slave contract that is why she was forcing them to sign.

It was a case to avoid any unnecessary dispute.

"Eh," he tilted.

Callisto smiled as he was watching the minister's grovel on the ground. He was so surprised when the empress asked them to sign a fealty contract.

Indeed, it is dangerous letting them out alive. They can form a revolt if not being monitored, while killing is a reasonable opinion—they don't think it was necessary.

Using the fealty contract can not only guarantee their loyalty, they can fend off executing them and exploit them as they see fit. 

Besides, the ministers are not hopeless. The former emperor chose them because of their knowledge and ability. They could hide their evil activities they had carried out. What of the things he could not figure out?

"You have no rights to choose that anymore, but we are no tyrants. There are option, these are what will be determined by you in the future. To be executed for such a traitorous crime, either lose your assets and wealth, nor will you become a slave, either of which you can think of. Sign these papers and swear your true loyalty to the emperor."

Truth to be told, even if they choose to lose their title and wealth, they can never waver from the title of being a corrupt traitor. When they die, even at name, the ones who will be forsaken will be their family. 

She gave them a deceptive judgment, and it was a choice that will make them think about their own future. The ministers will have no choice but to bow to her forever.

Even if they resist, it will be meaningless. "This is absurd! You cannot do this to us! We are just trying to fix what you have done!" 

There are limits to what an honest person can say. She nodded and smiled. "Indeed, I was absent, but," she sat down on a chair and smiled. "While I was in distress at the loss of my child, you coveted to replace me and so you stained my name. So what else do you want to know besides my wretched reputation that you created!?"

Of course, she knows that. She was aware of the rumors that were spreading to hurt her name. It’s true that she slaps a maid, but she did not do so out of reason. The maid insulted the Imperial Family, and she disobeyed orders.

Selena's memory was still clear after all, and the author did not create such a thing, which is making it impractical for her to use the original as a weapon.

Besides, this is the earlier stage of the story. Where the story mostly covers about the main heroin parents, so everything that will happen this time is mere fate. 

The count stood up and he violently looked at her. "Oh, shut up! You are a foolish princess who’s causing our empire a barren mess!"

Selena quietly started and she smirked. "Indeed, I am merely a princess in this foreign empire, but I have done my obligations to receive this name, and do you think what I did can compare to what you did?"

He did worse than her. He betrayed a trust given to him by the former emperor; he feigned ignorance about the suffering of dozens of people. She has evidence of all the things he had done over the few years, but he couldn't just bow down to an empress who’s just a foreign princess from another country.

"Haha!" the count loudly laughed. "I don’t need to hear that from such a vile scoundrel, so go back where you damn came from!"

The last straw on her nerve was pulled, but the first one to even take a step was not her. Marquis Rohas blinded her in surprise. The silent marquis who accompanied her was pointing his sword at the count’s neck.

"M-ma-marquis! How dare you point your sword at me, do you know who I am!!"

Despite being consumed by fear, the count could still speak. The marquis looked, but then his expression became bitter, and his sword was about an inch from cutting through his skin.

"If you value your life so dearly, look at his majesty whom you provoked."

After all, the marquis does not draw his sword unless being told, and the empress was too shy to say the command. It meant someone else other than the empress granted the marquis to draw his sword.

It was a shell of ignorance. Even the empress was stunned to speak. The atmosphere in the room slightly turns cold. The ministers lapsed into a profound hush, despite sensing the piercing gaze surrounding them.

Everything and everyone has frozen, turning the warm room into a chilly place. She looked at her husband, who was distant, staring coldly at the ministers.

Who could have pissed him off to the point of freezing an entire room? Is it because of the ministers’ insult to his wife in name, or what could be the cause?

It started when he was still the crown prince.

━━✣━━

The Crown Prince, heir to the Imperial Throne and son of the reigning Empress, is burdened with numerous responsibilities. He must refrain from displaying affection or fear towards anyone.

He’s been prepared to only serve his subject and people, nothing more, nothing less, as someone born to lead.

Callisto Rey Alvadiz was merely a 17-year-old who had become a crown prince when he was 15-year-old. People call him a genius, and he ever been measured by his cousins who have the chance of becoming a prince.

He never lived a quiet normal life. After all, when he shows just a minor interest, his father would ruin it. The emperor trained him on all those kinds of things, a brutal education where he’s not allowed to rest.

Even in his magic subject, he must perform flawlessly, as he was afraid to displease his father.

Until that fateful day came, when his father decided his engagement to a princess of a distant country from the Kingdom Of Solen. 

He does not understand what makes a marriage, but he knows the reason for it to be political and it is a benefit from both factions. They invested in time in persuading the Solen Kingdom so they can afford a magical stone that can only be found in the Solen Kingdom.

It was a situation that the emperor couldn't reject. However, the condition in the contract was surprisingly light, as it all contained information about their princess and her future in this empire.

She must have been a cherished child. That is the reason Callisto is so different from her.

Despite becoming a bride of a foreign empire, she is an adored child, who has a father that was eager to set a condition for her daughter’s future.

Unlike him, who must become like his father—strong, perfect, distinguished and wise.

She was profoundly different from him in times of being cherished by her parents. 

A day in the palace came unexpectedly hectic. It was the day the princess of Solen Kingdom moved in and lived in the palace. 

The reason everyone was busy doing what best they can offer for a princess of a foreign land. It was troubling to stay and welcome her. Therefore, he has chosen to train instead. 

He was alone on a vacant ground. As someone who's already at age, he has a masculine body feature caused by his excessive rough training. Yet, despite that, he still seeks more power. 

He wielded his sword with a ferocity that suggested an unbreakable resolve, pummeling the training dummies until they lay in ruins. His mastery of freezing powers imbued his every strike with unparalleled speed and precision.

Many know him as the strongest Sword Magician. 

However, with his continued attacks, the wooden sword soon shuttered, and broke.

Exhausted, he chose to rest, and he sat down on the ground. The life of a prince was intensely stressful. He couldn't breathe because he’s being pressured to do good and be well. 

When he falls down and gets sick, his father will order the maids not to attend to him. This results in his choice of hiding his pain whenever he can. It was a rough process, but he knew deep down that his father was only doing this to cultivate him into a fine emperor.

The sky seems bright today. He can't even compliment the sky for being beautiful, but he knew it was better than the other day. The gusts of wind were imbuing the terrain with an awe-inspiring and magnificent aura, chilling his flesh as he gazed upon the far-off cumulus clouds. Like no other day, he remains silent, waiting as time passes, until, of course, such peace will never last.

"Ouch!"

A sound of a troubled voice came rushing from the wind and it reached him. The voice sounded so childish, so he thought it was a child, but he also knew it was a girl.

He stood up from his seat and turned around to look. The voice seemed close, so he didn't think it was far from him. There his eyes meet a delicate woman, or perhaps a girl wearing a summer type short dress. 

She was sitting on the ground and it seemed she fell down. The girl grabs her hand as she carefully turns and looks. Only did she notice that there was someone behind her back. 

"Are you alright?" he asked.

She seems timid and small, but she doesn't look like a common woman. 

The girl swiftly nodded her head, and she looked down, hiding her embarrassment. 

"This is the palace ground. Common people aren't allowed to enter this section of the palace," he warned her.

The girl shifted her eyes. "I-I a-am not a commoner!" 

He shakes his head. "I am simply stating that not anyone is allowed here—," he paused and then he felt the wind blowing in his direction. "Are you lost, perhaps?"

She nodded in response to his question. 

"I see," he said and pointed in the west of his direction. "Walk straight down this path and it will lead you back to the palace," the young knight said.