The voice was low, but it resonated through the hall with the power of a physical blow. Askin had used his 'Aura'—a skill mastered by only a handful of swordsmen in the entire Empire—to amplify his words.
He stood there, his eyes burning with a quiet, terrifying rage as he headed toward the dais. The floor beneath his feet seemed to crack with every step. People scrambled to get out of his way, their faces pale with fear.
"I did not give my consent for this marriage," Askin declared, his voice cutting through the silence. "It was an offer that I clearly and explicitly rejected."
"D-Duke Lemut?" my grandfather stammered, his snake-like smile finally faltering.
Askin reached the pedestal and looked up at my grandfather. The air around him was so sharp it felt as if it could draw blood. Even the most seasoned knights in the room shuddered under the pressure of his presence.
But Duke Altsbeit was a veteran of many battles. He recovered his composure quickly, his eyes narrowing.
"You cannot change your mind now, Duke," my grandfather said, his voice smooth and cold. "What is an engagement if not a contract contemplating marriage? By agreeing to the engagement, you have already accepted the outcome. Are you saying you made a promise to yourself that you now refuse to keep?"
"I never consented to a wedding date."
"And the day you reached out to the Altsbeit family to save your sister... were your promises a lie then? It seems your much-vaunted values of justice and faith are worth very little when it’s time to pay the bill."
It was a blatant mockery, a public insult designed to tear down Askin’s pride. Askin had endured years of this. He had sold himself to save Aria, and he had prepared for the ridicule. But this was different.
"Is there no other option but marriage?" Askin asked, his voice low.
He looked around the room, his eyes searching for one person in particular. I sat there, paralyzed, watching him. He found me—the "Vicious Princess" who used her beauty to cover the stench of her own cruelty.
He looked at me for a long moment, then looked back at my grandfather.
"Is this something the Princess agreed to?"
"Of course," my grandfather lied smoothly. "Do you think I would make such an announcement without my granddaughter's consent?"
Askin didn't look at me again. I could see the betrayal in his eyes, the cold realization that he’d been played once more. He’d believed things were changing, that *I* was changing. He’d maintained his integrity even in the middle of hell, only to be sold out by the person he’d started to trust.
"I never agreed," Askin repeated, his voice echoing through the hall. "And this is the last bit of consideration I will give the Altsbeit family. You can shout about this marriage all you want."
"What will be the result?" Loxdian asked from the dais, his eyes flickering with interest.
The hem of Askin’s cloak waved in a non-existent breeze as his aura flared. "You want to know what I’ll do? I won't marry her. And as for your money..."
"What about my money?" my grandfather laughed. "How will you pay it back, Duke?"
"I will pay it back," Askin said, his voice absolute.
Duke Altsbeit burst into laughter, an open declaration of his victory. He knew Askin had no way to raise ten billion coins. But Askin wasn't worried about the ridicule.
The energy surrounding him exploded. He turned on his heel and walked out of the banquet hall, his footprints literally hollowing out the floor with every step. It was a grand, terrifying exit.
Everyone in the room realized it then: the man who had just left was the strongest swordsman in the Empire. And he was a man who had been pushed past his limit.
Loxdian watched him go, his red eyes flickering like a predator’s. He looked at me, then back at the door. 'Sister,' he seemed to think, 'I wonder what you'll do now.'
* * *
I stared straight ahead, my mind a blur. I could feel the presence of the Gaemang Club women surrounding me. They were watching me, whispering among themselves, trying to see if I was really as drunk as I looked.
"Princess... are you alright?"
"Is she asleep?"
"Shh, leave her alone. You know what she’s like when she’s been drinking."
I blinked, the whispers sounding louder than they should have.
"My God, is the Duke really going to sell himself in the end?"
"He has no choice. His family is ruined."
"If I had a face like hers and a fortune like that, I’d be clinging to him too. To be honest, he’s lucky she’s so pretty..."
"Ugh, do you really think anyone can handle that personality? If she weren't so rich, he’d have run a mile."
"Why is he being so stiff? It’s not like he has any other options."
I felt a cold, sharp laugh bubbling up inside me. They thought Askin was just a piece of meat, a tool for me to buy and use. They were betting on him like he was a game.
"I bet he has another woman hidden away somewhere," one of them whispered.
"Or maybe he's just training her so he can take the money and run! Kyaaak!"
I jumped from my seat.
My body moved before I could even think. It was a reflex, a memory of the old Charlize’s physical violence. I grabbed the hair of the girl who had just laughed and yanked her toward me.
She looked at me with wide, terrified eyes. I was used to that look.
"Wake up," I hissed.
"P-Princess?"
"Are you getting up, or do I have to help you?" I slapped her across the cheek, the impact echoing through the sudden silence. My hand stung, but the physical sensation only made the memory of how to do this clearer.
A cold laughter spilled out of me. "Try me again. Go on."
Strangely, I didn't feel drunk anymore. I felt sharp, focused, and incredibly dangerous. I grabbed a glass from a passing attendant’s tray and held it above the girl’s head.
"Do you want more? That was fun, wasn't it?"
I poured the wine over her head, watching it soak into her expensive hair.
"Your hair is so pretty," I said, my voice sweet and mocking.
"I'm sorry! I'm sorry, Princess! Please, I was wrong!"
"Wrong? What were you wrong about? Was it about your hair being pretty?" I covered my mouth and smiled brightly. "Maybe we should just cut it off."
The room went silent. No one dared to speak. They were all shocked, but most of them looked relieved that they weren't the one on the floor. The "Evil Princess" was back, and she was in rare form.
"Why can't you answer me? Are you ignoring me now?" I asked, laughing softly. I threw the empty glass against the floor next to her, the sound of breaking glass like a gunshot.
The Imperial knights looked to Loxdian, waiting for an order to stop me. But Loxdian just signaled them to stay back. He was watching me with a look of intense curiosity.
"Kyaaak!" the girl screamed as I leaned in closer.
The smile vanished from my face.
"Who are you to judge my fiancé?" I asked, my voice cold as the grave.
I turned my gaze to the rest of the crowd. They all flinched. My face, usually described as a masterpiece of divine beauty, was now a mask of pure, unadulterated fury.
"Who do you think you are to judge him!"