Chapter 16
Chapter 16
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 16
Chapter Title: The Way to Possess You
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“Waaah!”
Calista had been crying for days now. She wailed even louder, as if making sure the knights guarding her could hear, but only the maids and servants from Thalassa offered her any comfort.
Back in Thalassa, no one could stand idly by when she cried. It was only natural—the king and queen of Thalassa had punished anyone who made her shed tears.
They treated her like fine porcelain, as if not a single drop of her tears could be spared.
Calista simply couldn’t believe that her tears meant nothing here. Nor could she accept the betrayal she had just suffered.
“This can’t be happening! It can’t!”
She clutched the letter from the Thalassa king and sobbed. The elegant script on the yellowish parchment flaunted its grace, but the contents were utterly cold.
[My beloved daughter Calista.
Out of my love for you, I have found you the finest husband.
The position of empress in the Pheneios Empire is something no exalted woman could attain.
Even the emperor of that empire is renowned for his fairness.
If you wish to marry into that land, become one of its people.
Especially as empress—you must become the empire’s mother. Do you think your husband would be pleased if you sent petty complaints in letters?
Your eldest sister, even in death from the emperor’s wrath, never wrote me a single letter.
Rise to the occasion.
Endure.
Bear an heir.
And never again utter that foolish notion of becoming Crown Prince Asherad’s wife.
For your mother’s sake, you must possess a wiser, more astute mind.
I won’t show your letters to her until you prove yourself mature.]
She had clung to the carriage sobbing when leaving for the empire, yet the Thalassa king refused to take her side and harshly rebuked her. He even sided with her husband.
“To think he won’t even show my letters to Mother...”
Calista sniffled. She hadn’t imagined coming to a foreign land would be like this. And now, if the Thalassa king willed it, even contact with her beloved mother could be severed.
She had assumed everyone would recognize her nobility and serve her accordingly. But without backing here, Calista was ignored.
The emperor hadn’t summoned her since his outburst. The palace maids, once so warm and approachable, now offered only formal bows without a hint of a smile.
It was infuriating.
A different kind of insult. But what drove her mad was realizing she now had to grow accustomed to such treatment.
“Aaah!”
She screamed in frustration. In her rage, she hurled a pillow without noticing the knock at the door or it opening. The pillow struck someone.
Calista whipped her head up, grinding her teeth.
“...!”
But when she realized the owner of those legs was Asherad, even she couldn’t help freezing in shock.
Asherad glanced at the pillow that had hit his leg. He slowly lowered his gaze, revealing long black lashes stark against his pale face. His expression was unreadable—neither anger nor mockery.
The man who had dealt her first humiliation was devastatingly beautiful.
Unlike the world raging with her fury, time seemed to flow languidly around him. Her anger couldn’t touch the serene world enveloping him.
“You must be quite angry.”
His voice emerged slowly, still soft and soothing. The man, backlit by the sun, approached Calista.
“Oh dear, did you hurt your hand?”
“...”
Calista bit her lip and turned her head away like a petulant child—a gesture too juvenile for a twenty-three-year-old.
Yet her outburst proved remarkably effective.
“Aunt, you’re truly upset.”
Someone always soothed her like this when she threw a tantrum.
She thought she’d been abandoned, but Asherad had come himself. Calista fought to steady her racing heart. A floral scent wafted in—not overpowering, but pleasing. Before she knew it, Asherad stood right before her.
“Oh!”
Calista clapped a hand over her mouth in surprise, and Asherad smiled with his eyes.
“I came to apologize to you properly, Aunt.”
“...”
“I was reckless.”
“...”
“Because of that insignificant maid, I ended up humiliating you by association.”
Calista blinked in surprise. He had seemed so desperate in pursuit of that girl... Was it her imagination? His anger had felt real enough.
As her thoughts began to waver, Asherad spoke.
“Aunt, I want to speak the truth only to you.”
At his words, Calista signaled with her eyes. The maids filed out, and Asherad watched them go before taking a seat on a stool.
“What truth do you mean? Isn’t truth singular? You flew into a rage at me, Your Highness.”
“Aunt, please don’t call me ‘Your Highness.’ Call me comfortably.”
Calista’s expression softened at his words. His face blended strong lines with delicate ones in perfect harmony. She found herself averting her eyes, her ears burning red.
“Yes, that girl is the spawn of that wicked woman. Even as a child, she threatened my position.”
“...”
“Though all her lies have been exposed, I can’t discern His Majesty’s—the emperor’s—intentions, so I keep her close to watch. Any kindness toward her was merely to uncover hidden schemes.”
“...”
“It’s absurd, but if that girl somehow became ‘the emperor’s child’ again, it would pose a grave threat to me.”
“Such nonsense...”
“Don’t you know, Aunt? History is full of such outrageous twists. Didn’t your mother tell you never to overlook a threat?”
“Then just kill her!”
“Should I defy His Majesty, who brought her here alive, and kill her myself?”
“That’s all it would take!”
It seemed so simple. But Asherad fell silent, gazing at Calista. It felt like he was mocking her ignorance. As his lips twitched upward, she bristled. Yet his next words silenced her.
“It’s not as simple as a son defying his father.”
“...”
“This is the crown prince defying the emperor’s decree. I have no authority for that. If I killed the girl he spared and brought here... it would be disobeying his command.”
“Ah.”
“Would His Majesty forgive a subject who breaks his orders?”
The mockery vanished, replaced by a gentle tone, as if teaching a child.
Even someone as naive as Calista understood. Her parents had always indulged her endlessly, but their relationship was different. It was that damned emperor’s warped nature.
Asherad turning from her was all the emperor’s fault. A strange yet straightforward conclusion. Calista cleared her throat.
“I hadn’t considered that far, Asherad.”
“Of course. You couldn’t know, Aunt. Truth be told, my anger stemmed from feeling hurt that you, who naturally wouldn’t know, still confronted me like that...”
He even framed her ignorance as inevitable, sparing her pride.
And “hurt” somehow sounded endearing. Calista placed a hand on Asherad’s shoulder.
“I’m the one who should apologize for not understanding.”
“No, Aunt. I unwittingly insulted you—how can I ever repay that?”
“It’s fine. We’re nobles from the same homeland, after all.”
Calista awkwardly accepted his apology.
“Thank you. I suppose I vented to you because you’re from my mother’s land.”
“...”
“After all, you’re the only one I can somewhat rely on in this country.”
Those words stirred Calista’s heart. Struggling with isolation and helplessness, she melted under Asherad’s comfort.
“You’re the only family I have left now.”
She said with a sigh.
“What are you saying? The Thalassa king and queen are very much alive.”
Calista shook her head, tears falling. She was still immature, easily swayed by those around her.
“Read this letter.”
She handed him the missive from Thalassa.
“The Thalassa king has abandoned me.”
In doing so, she foolishly exposed her greatest weakness. Asherad took the letter with a puzzled look.
Tear drops stained the parchment. He read it at length before folding it carefully and returning it to her.
After a moment’s thought, he pulled her into an embrace.
“You’ve been through so much.”
“Sniff, sniff... I trusted him like a father, but...”
Calista wept openly. Asherad soothed her gently. But his eyes gleamed with a strange light.
What a hopelessly foolish woman. She had no idea how potent a weapon her stupidity was for Asherad!
Ah, yes. No more need to stall. He smirked inwardly. A vicious twist and ecstasy flickered in his green eyes.
Daphne.
Now I’ve found the perfect way to possess you.
He held one woman in his arms while thinking of another.
* * *
“Hey! Cuckoo girl!”
Fabian spotted Daphne and ran toward her. She bolted in fright. Why was he chasing her? Ever since that conversation, he sought her out whenever he saw her.
Daphne desperately avoided Fabian.
Naturally so.
He had badmouthed Asherad. Already anxious that the crown prince hadn’t sought her out again, Fabian’s words stuck in her mind.
Wasn’t he part of the crown prince’s guard? Why loiter around the maids’ quarters where she was? How did he even know she was here? Daphne sighed behind a statue.
“Found you!”
Fabian’s voice rang out. At his bright tone, she startled and tried to flee—but he grabbed her wrist.
“Game of tag’s over, Cuckoo girl.”
Fabian whispered softly.