58. Mom, Something's Wrong Down There...
'This isn't something you should be doing to me!'
I knew Han Siu was trying to exploit Han So-young's return to active duty.
He'd emphasized multiple times that all it would take was getting her back on active duty, so if they couldn't grasp that, they'd have to be idiots.
In that sense, the handler sent by the imperial family was an idiot. While Siu shuttled back and forth to So-young's mansion carrying out the mission, Helena had been mulling over plans based on that and the rewards she could extract.
But what was this now?
Blackmailing her instead of the imperial family?
She'd set things up through mission requests and such to shift the blame to the imperial family and the handler, but if Siu and So-young dragged her into it, she could never escape responsibility. That was something she absolutely needed these two in front of her to help with.
'I thought our hearts were aligned...'
How much had she helped him?
She'd even wrung various benefits out of the imperial family for him, so feelings of resentment and injustice welled up to her throat. She barely swallowed them down and endured when the shocking first condition hit her.
"The first condition is engagement."
"...Pardon? Engagement?"
"Yes. Engagement."
"......"
Helena doubted her own ears.
'Engagement?'
Who on earth did he want to get engaged to? If he wanted to marry an imperial figure, he'd have to go through the imperial family.
"......"
She tried to escape into denial, but her cool-headed, sharp mind refused to allow it.
Her rationality, snapping back, felt like it was slapping her soul awake.
"A-are you saying... you want to get engaged to me right now...? Siu? To me?"
Stammering three times and emphasizing herself twice in the question, Helena received lewd yet cold smiles from Siu and So-young. There wasn't a shred of denial in their grins.
"...Ha."
A scoff escaped the princess's lips.
She'd vaguely thought she could pull Siu to her side.
But this man wasn't a sharp dagger—she couldn't tame a wild beast like him.
Her fondness for him must have clouded her vision.
"Engagement. Engagement..."
Chewing over the word she'd never even considered, Helena fixed Siu with a piercing gaze.
"What is it you really want?"
"I just said engagement."
"Not that. The true intent behind it. Candidate Han Siu... do you want the empire?"
She asked coldly, chill radiating from her.
Even her form of address had reverted to "Candidate Han Siu."
The Glazer Empire's imperial family wasn't as male-centric as the Hipeimus Kingdom in the western continent, but it still held strong patriarchal values. It stemmed from traditions and laws passed down from the founding emperor, plus side effects from quelling various incidents along the way.
That had birthed laws banning empresses, including ones mimicking foreign queens' systems. The most prominent was making the princess's husband the empire's emperor.
From the moment Siu mentioned engagement, she'd thought of that.
'I can't treat this man like an ordinary candidate. Especially with the Third Saintess Elaine and Han So-young at his side. Aiming for emperor consort isn't impossible.'
There were a few question marks, but it was a reasonable judgment.
Siu smirked at Helena's question.
'He's smirking?'
"Princess Helena."
"Yes, Candidate Han Siu."
"You want to be empress, don't you?"
"...Of course."
Caught off-guard by the blunt question, she admitted it readily. Anyone who knew her even a little would know her ambitions.
"I don't."
"...Pardon?"
"The emperor you want. I'll help you become one."
"...Haha."
A laugh of a different flavor slipped from the princess's red lips.
It was exactly what she wanted.
But trusting his words outright was hard. He might pretend disinterest to lower her guard and stab her in the back—who knew? Such things were commonplace in politics. And it was just an engagement, not marriage; a man could walk away with few repercussions.
"And what do you get out of it, Siu?"
She thought she was on guard, but her shift back to "Siu" was a positive sign.
Though she hadn't noticed.
"What do I get? Heh. You, Princess."
"M-me?"
"Yes. You, Princess Helena Glazer. I want you, Helena Glazer."
"...?! Wha—hic—?!"
So shocked, a weird noise burst from her mouth.
But she had no room for embarrassment.
"Th-that... no, what... Ha...!"
This wasn't her first direct confession, but the ominous atmosphere until moments ago made it utterly bewildering. And Siu, surrounded by women, had seemed utterly uninterested in her.
They'd met only a handful of times before. It was absurd, but his eyes were too earnest to dismiss as a lie. Not love, but a sticky, intense desire for her burned in his gaze.
"......"
"So, what'll it be?"
The hesitant princess finally spoke.
"...Answer three things."
"Go ahead."
"First, you said engagement is the initial demand, so the others are..."
"Demands from the Glazer imperial family."
"As I thought. Sigh."
It seemed planned from the start to throw her off.
Resentful, she shot glances at Siu and So-young.
"Second... engagement is just the start—you're thinking marriage too, right?"
"That depends on you, Princess."
"...One last question."
Helena swallowed and steadied her breath.
"Do you... love me, Siu?"
"...Not sure yet."
"I see..."
"But I definitely want you."
"...Heh. Yes, good. That's enough."
A satisfied smile as she nodded.
Blind declarations of love would've turned her off more than this.
If he'd claimed love, she'd have rejected the engagement. His expression and eyes weren't those of a man madly in love. She wouldn't have believed it.
This was plenty for now.
The future was uncertain, but a mutually beneficial arrangement suited her. For the throne, she'd offer her body. Giving herself to Siu for emperorship was a bargain.
'With Siu's abilities, he'll be a huge asset.'
A man who would shake the continent, plus SS-grade hero Han So-young, Third Saintess Elaine, Palania's Queen Sharfria, and all his future connections— they'd all be her power.
"Take care, our daughter-in-law."
"Ah, yes? Uh... y-yes..."
Helena awkwardly responded to So-young.
It made sense, thinking about it.
Siu was her adoptive son, and she his fiancée—so daughter-in-law fit. Whether it'd last was another story, but So-young seemed convinced.
"Shall we discuss our business, then?"
As satisfied as Helena—maybe more—Siu kicked off the talk.
Everyone knew what he meant and smiled faintly.
Fleecing the empire's imperial family? None of the three here held fondness for it. How could they not be thrilled?
"Ah, one moment."
Helena stood and opened the door.
"Are you finished?"
Her blind guard knight turned at the presence.
"It'll take a bit longer. Tell them I'll return tomorrow morning... no, lunchtime."
"Understood."
So-young's mansion was old-style, without magic in every room, but the drawing room had security spells.
Even a guard with heightened senses from lost sight couldn't catch the conversation inside. But she noted Helena's excited tone.
'Three kinds of joy... One from screwing over the imperial family, another from stepping closer to the throne. And the last... hmm.'
Confident in knowing the iron-blooded princess—and truly knowing her—the guard was intrigued.
Maybe spring had come to the 23-year-old princess's heart.
Even if the seed sprouted on soil not yet fully thawed.
After instructing her guard, Helena shut the door, and the three dove into heated discussion.
The iron princess had allotted plenty of time, but they didn't need it all. Siu and So-young had preparations; Helena had ideas too.
They sifted common ground, picked non-overlapping items carefully, debated from all angles, and narrowed opinions. Evening passed into midnight before they wrapped up.
"Good work."
"You've worked hard, Siu."
"Yawn, staying up late like this tires me out after so long. Everyone, rest up."
"Yes, rest well, Han So-young."
Helena greeted the yawning, stretching So-young.
"Mother."
"...You want me to call you that?"
"Heh. Our daughter-in-law sure is quick."
"Haha..."
How many shocks had she endured from them today—yesterday now?
She was getting used to it.
"Fine. Rest well... Mother."
"Heh, yes. Rest well, our daughter-in-law♡"
"...Yes."
After hurried goodbyes, she fled the drawing room with her guard to the bath.
Not used much before, but expanded for the owner's love of baths. It suited Helena perfectly.
"What a tiring day..."
"Really? You looked like you were enjoying it."
"That's why I could endure. Tired without fun? Ugh, can't imagine."
Such days were rare, making today satisfying. Days like this kept her going through the grind. Feeling progress toward her goal fueled her. The throne, once impossibly distant, now felt a bit closer.
'Ten years. In ten years... I'll sit on the empire's highest seat.'
After a quick bath, heading to her assigned room, habit took her to So-young's instead.
"Oops."
A habit from the imperial palace.
Bowing to the highest before/after bed.
"Might as well say goodnight since I'm here."
"Pardon? Ah, the mistress is..."
Her trailing maid panicked at the mutter.
"What? Any reason not to?"
"W-well..."
The maid hemmed and hawed.
Sensing oddity, Helena quickened to So-young's door.
"W-wait, Princess!"
Then So-young's moan reached her ears.
"Nng... Hn. Ah, haang... Haht..."
"......"
"Princess, this is..."
"Sorry."
"...Pardon?"
The maid's excuse died as Helena's face darkened.
"I thought Han So-young looked bright, shaking off all sadness... but apparently not."
"Yes?"
Maid and guard alike stared bewildered. But Helena truly thought So-young wept into her sheets. Truth was sweat and love juices.
"Return to my room. Keep my visit secret."
"Ah... yes. Of course..."
As the three left, Siu's voice came from inside.
"Haa, Mama. Enough already... My dick's throbbing so bad..."
"Haht, yes♡ Let Mama's pussy heal it♥"