Chapter 335: Bread and Dagger (33)
Chapter 335: Bread and Dagger (33)
As a child, the Princess loved rare animals.
She was a woman born of the imperial bloodline. It wasn't strange for her to have a luxurious hobby or two.
Moreover, it was a time when she suffered from a deep-seated distrust of humans.
Cien loved animals more than people.
Humans adorned themselves with all sorts of pretenses, but animals could not. The Princess loved that social incompetence.
At the very least, she wouldn't have to worry about being betrayed.
The Emperor was not a man who would fail to grasp his daughter's heart. Under the absolute ruler's tacit approval, the Princess was allowed to keep several exotic animals.
Sometimes, foreign envoys who had heard the rumors would bring beasts from their homelands.
Their ulterior motives were obvious. They intended to win the favor of the Princess—the Emperor's soft spot—and eventually gain even a small advantage in negotiations with the Empire.
Of course, the Princess did not stop them.
The inner thoughts of everyone who dealt with her were the same anyway. The only difference lay in whether they hid it well or not.
In fact, the Princess preferred those who revealed their desires overtly.
There was no reason to refuse the rare spectacles the envoys brought.
If there was one complaint, it was that several uninvited guests would often visit to see those rare sights.
Usually, they were members of the Imperial Family or prominent figures from the Empire's Five Great Noble Families.
The Emperor was fine.
He was a father who knew how to cherish his daughter and was one of the Princess's few pillars of support.
But the same could not be said for the two who constantly followed him.
First Prince Vilteon and Second Princess Iris.
Of all her siblings, they were the two Cien hated most.
They were evaluated as being the closest to the future throne. Having lived for power to that extent, their hands could not possibly be clean.
Above all, Cien trusted the emotions reflected in her 'eyes.'
The shades of ambition in Vilteon and Iris were far too dark. Their colors were so intense that they rendered all other emotions colorless.
Thus, Cien felt suffocated whenever she faced them.
They were humans who could discard anything for the sake of their goals.
They were the type who would willingly offer up their own limbs if ordered. Surely, they wouldn't blink an eye at killing a half-sister who was far down the line of succession.
That was why Cien disliked her eldest brother and second-oldest sister.
Because she was afraid.
The only saving grace was that whenever the Princess encountered them, the Emperor was usually present.
No matter how great their influence, the master of the Empire was strictly the Emperor.
Vilteon and Iris would act like gentle lambs whenever they stood before him. Though their true thoughts remained unknown, they at least maintained a friendly attitude toward their siblings in the Emperor's presence.
However, the naturally cold Iris never appeared warm, no matter what she did.
It was only Vilteon, with his cheerful and bold temperament, who would crack jokes at Cien.
"Cien, have you heard which country the envoy came from today?"
It was a question Vilteon asked with sparkling eyes before the animal brought by the envoy was revealed.
He was a man with dark blue hair and blue eyes. Due to his disciplined physique and sculpted features, rumors circulated that he had already broken the hearts of many women.
Of course, his appearance held no charm for Cien.
Would the day ever come when Cien felt her heart flutter for someone?
All humans were nothing but liars.
However, the one speaking to her now was Vilteon.
There was no reason to offend someone who might become the next Emperor. It would be a lie to say she didn't fear the consequences.
Cien replied, feigning a demure tone.
"I understand they are from the Trialde Kingdom, Brother."
The Southern Kingdoms were a sort of alliance formed to oppose the Empire and the Holy Kingdom.
It was a place where various small kingdoms gathered, and 'Trialde' was one of the nations forming its core. It was also famous for the high quality of timber harvested from its dense jungles.
What would an animal living in such a place look like?
That was Cien's only interest, but Vilteon didn't seem inclined to let her go just yet.
He continued with a mischievous smile.
"I heard that the snakes of the Trialde Kingdom are quite good for one's health. Especially for women with husbands, who are said to search for them with fire in their eyes..."
"...Vulgar."
The word was spat out along with the sharp clack of a folding fan being closed.
Vilteon's gaze shifted slightly to the side. There sat a woman with silver-blue hair and a cold expression.
It was the Second Princess, Iris.
Having suffered from a severe illness in her childhood, her complexion was always pale. It meant her blood circulation was poor. Not just her face, but her hands and feet were equally cold.
Thus, those who had shaken hands with the Second Princess consistently testified to the same thing.
That it felt like touching an ornament made of ice.
Cien inwardly thought that assessment was not wrong. She was a woman whose expressions rarely changed.
"Brother, please maintain your decorum... Seeing you spout such mischievous nonsense in front of our young sister makes me feel ashamed."
Her tone was one of blatant reproach.
Nevertheless, Vilteon merely shrugged his shoulders and played it off.
"No, isn't Cien at an age to know about love now? So, just in case..."
It was then that the envoy from Trialde pulled a wriggling mass of flesh from a box.
It was a snake of incredible size.
It was thick enough that a sturdy adult male could barely wrap his arms around it. Its length was so great that it seemed to flow endlessly even as it was pulled from the large wooden box like uncoiling a rope.
Cien was so startled she stopped speaking.
Vilteon and Iris also fell silent. However, the two of them showed no sign of surprise.
It was thanks to the vast knowledge they possessed as contenders for the supreme position of the Empire.
Vilteon muttered, swallowing a groan.
"A two-headed snake..."
"At that size, it must have been influenced by mana. It should be considered half-demonic beast... In that case, it's a top-grade specimen brought from the heart of the Great Forest."
With Iris's added explanation, Cien watched the black-scaled snake with even more excitement.
It was enormous.
Cien had seen all sorts of reptiles, but it was the first time in her life she had seen such a large snake. Though, to be honest, she had no intention of keeping it because it was terrifying.
What was even more surprising was the fact that the two-headed snake had no tail.
Where the tail should have been, another head was situated. Cien's eyes sparkled, wondering which of the two heads held dominance.
The envoy from Trialde seemed prepared to resolve that very question.
His voice rose, and soon cheers erupted from the audience. Several men burst into laughter as if they were about to see a fun spectacle.
However, Vilteon only wore a somewhat troubled smile.
"Uh, um... Cien? Could you look away for a moment?"
It was an unwelcome suggestion.
Cien ended up questioning him in a voice that was uncharacteristically sharp.
"Why?! He said he's going to show us which of the two heads has dominance now..."
Despite this, Vilteon only looked troubled and couldn't give a proper answer.
The one who stepped forward to break the deadlock was Iris.
She let out a deep sigh and spoke to Cien as if she had no choice.
"Then watch closely. It will be educational."
"Hey, hey! Are you crazy?! Cien is only thirteen!"
"Someone said it, Brother... that she's at an age to know about love."
In that brief moment when their shouting and mockery crossed paths.
The two heads of the snake began to bare their teeth at each other. Then, they curled their tongues—which were unusually wide for a snake—and began to thrust them like needles.
At first, Cien thought the two heads were physically fighting for dominance.
But that innocent thought was soon shattered.
Because she soon realized what function the curled tongues of the two-headed snake served.
Cien had to watch the scene in a daze.
The snake's body coiled tightly, and heat radiated from it. While the nobles marveled at the sight, Cien didn't even have the composure for that.
Eventually, Vilteon covered his face with his hand and muttered a single sentence.
"...It certainly does look good for one's health."
The mating of the two-headed snake continued for several hours.
It was said that the two-headed snake was originally an ordinary snake, but because the tail fought to be the head, two heads were formed. Even after that, they were always on bad terms and fought for dominance.
It was just that their method of fighting was copulation.
According to myth, due to its endless lust and jealousy, it was considered a minion of Delphirem.
Cien had to sit there all day with her face bright red.
Vilteon silently stroked the Princess's head, and Iris left after leaving her usual cold advice.
"Cien, remember this well. This is the essence of life... Everything has a hierarchy. Even between male and female."
It was a statement that perfectly illustrated Iris's worldview.
Of course, Cien could not accept it. On the contrary, she was so shocked by the intense mating of the two-headed snake that she even felt a strong repulsion toward the union between a man and a woman.
How could they do something so shameful?
It was an act where not a shred of reason existed. A sight where they pursued only primal pleasure, relying solely on physical desire.
At the very least, Cien vowed she would never be like that.
She had made that vow, so why?
"Haa, ugh... Haaah..."
Cien was gasping, letting out feverish breaths.
It was, unmistakably, the behavior of a female.