Fatima visited the palace
library for the first time in a while. She had only recently heard that Marquis
Rad had returned. She felt regretful when she learned that the Marquis had
already entered and left the palace that morning.
‘How should I go about
meeting the Marquis? Should I visit his estate? Or should I send someone to
request a meeting?’
She had no ulterior
motives. Although she hadn’t completely sorted out her feelings, she had let go
of her lingering attachment. Fatima needed help, and the only person who came
to mind was Marquis Rad.
As she was leaving, a maid
approached her.
“Princess.”
Fatima immediately assumed
the maid was sent by the Red King, as the Silver King’s birthday banquet was
only a few days away.
‘If I could just meet the Marquis,
I could decide whether or not to accept the Red King's proposal.’
It was hard for Fatima to
outright reject the Red King’s offer given her current predicament.
“Her Highness the Silver
King has requested your presence.”
“Her Highness the Silver King?”
This was unexpected.
“Is the Silver King your
mistress?” she asked.
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“Did she say why she wants
to see me?”
“I do not know, Your
Highness.”
“...”
“Her Highness said that if
you have any pressing matters, you can arrange a meeting at a more convenient
time.”
“…No, I’ll go see her now.”
“Yes, I will lead the way.”
Fatima followed the maid,
curious and somewhat intrigued by the unexpected summons.
The maid guided Fatima to a
drawing room, told her to wait for a moment, and then left. Fatima wondered if
this was a tactic to make her wait long and wear her out, but the Silver King
entered shortly after.
Fatima, who had been
sitting on the sofa, stood and bowed her head.
“Greetings, Your Highness
the Silver King.”
“Welcome. I apologize for
the discourtesy of summoning you on short notice without an appointment. I had
no intention of insulting you, so please don’t misunderstand.”
“Not at all, Your Highness.
It is an honor to be invited.”
They exchanged polite greetings
and sat across from each other on the sofa.
“It has been a while,” Sienna
remarked.
“Yes, Your Highness. Have
you been well?”
“I’ve been well, as always.
And you, Princess? How have you been lately?”
“I have not gone out for a
long time. Today is the first time I’ve entered the palace in quite a while.”
“Ah, that’s why you didn’t
attend the Iron King’s wedding celebration.”
Though Fatima had attended
and seen the Silver King and the Marquis enter together, she said nothing. She
wasn’t naive enough to offer empty flattery like “I saw you both that day; you
looked good together.”
Though it had been
unrequited, Marquis Rad was Fatima’s first love. It still hurt. She needed more
time to truly feel nothing.
“How has life in the Empire
been for you? Any discomforts?”
“Every day is a new
experience. I am always amazed by the advanced culture of the Empire.”
Fatima recited a
well-rehearsed line. The Imperials always asked her how she found life in the
Empire and seemed to want to hear her praise the Empire as more advanced than
the desert.
‘Get to the point already.’
Fatima guessed the Silver
King’s purpose could be one of two things: a political desire to understand the
situation in the desert or a warning now that she was officially the Marquis’s
partner, advising Fatima to be careful in her actions.
“What are your future
plans, Princess?”
“I’m not sure what you
mean.”
“I’m asking if you intend
to stay in the Empire or return to your homeland.”
Fatima forced a smile,
though she felt a twist in her stomach. She hadn’t expected to be so bluntly
told to leave.
“I haven’t decided yet. Do
I need to give an answer now?”
“If you intend to stay in
the Empire, I will be your patron.”
Fatima’s lips tightened.
Concealing her surprise, she forced another smile.
“Your Highness, I
appreciate your kind offer, but I am already managing quite well without any
inconvenience.”
Sienna chuckled softly and
set her teacup down.
“Let’s not beat around the
bush. I don’t like it when people avoid the subject. You’ve lived in the Empire
long enough to understand what I mean by offering to be your patron.”
The smile vanished from Fatima’s
face. She looked at Sienna skeptically, trying to gauge her true intentions.
“You’re saying you want to
be my patron?”
“Yes.”
“If I need a patron, I can ask
Marquis Raad.”
“Of course, you could do
that. But between the Marquis and me, wouldn’t I be the better choice? Marquis
Rad is not an Imperial, and a sponsorship between an unmarried man and woman
would only invite scandal.”
“Do you think I might actually
want that scandal?”
Neither woman was smiling
anymore. Their words were not harsh, but the atmosphere had turned cold.
Sienna found Fatima’s
defiance intriguing. No noblewoman had ever spoken to her like this.
“So, you’re saying you want
to fight me over a man? Do you think you can win that fight?”
“…Would Your Highness truly
fight me to claim a man?”
“When there are many who
want an indivisible treasure, a fight is inevitable.”
Fatima stared at Sienna in
shock. While she was taken aback, she also felt a strange sense of relief
hearing the Silver King talk about Marquis Rad as if he were a trophy to be
won. She tried to stifle her laughter with her hand but couldn’t help it.
“I… I apologize, Your
Highness.”
Sienna waited silently
while Fatima tried to regain her composure. It wasn’t the first time someone
had burst out laughing unexpectedly in front of her. The Iron King had done it,
and so had Duke Bless. Like them, Fatima’s laughter didn’t feel malicious or
mocking.
“Are you serious about
becoming my patron?”
“I’m not saying this
lightly.”
“To what extent are you
willing to support me?”
“If it’s within my power,
I’ll do anything.”
“I’m staying in the Empire
as a guest. You seem to think there’s a high chance I’ll remain in the Empire.
Is there a reason for that?”
“I’ve heard that if you
return to your homeland, your situation will become difficult.”
Fatima remembered confiding
in Violet about her concerns. She later regretted having spoken so freely.
“Do you pity me?”
“Pity? We’re not close enough
to share such profound emotions.”
“…Is that so?”
Fatima, who saw pity as a
form of charity bestowed by the strong upon the weak, couldn’t discern the
hidden meaning in Sienna’s words.
“I’m proposing a deal.”
“Then I must have something
to offer in return. But I have nothing to give.”
“What I want is for you to
have a stable and independent life. If you accept my support and stay in the
Empire, it would mean you’re willing to become an Imperial.”
“If I give up my status as
a princess, my connection with Marquis Rad will also be severed. You mean to
separate me from the Marquis, don’t you?”
“You can interpret it that
way.”
Fatima looked at Sienna
with renewed interest. She had assumed the Silver King was above such base
human desires as love and jealousy. But now, beneath the refined surface, she
saw a straightforward message: “Stay away from my man.”
There was no more worldly
battle, indifferent to rank or status, than one fought over romance. And there
were probably few who would solve such a problem in the manner of the Silver
King.
“What if I accept your
support but still harbor other intentions?”
“You wouldn’t do that.”
“…Pardon?”
“You’re not the type to go
back on your word.”
Sienna spoke with
conviction.
In the future she had seen
in her dreams, Fatima was Kuhn's lover. A woman who couldn’t even keep her
promises would never share a sincere relationship with that man.
Fatima, who had been
looking at Sienna with confused, wavering eyes, lowered her head. Her stomach
churned.
‘How ironic.’
The first person to
acknowledge her growth and maturity was the same person who had taken away the
man she loved.
She didn’t suspect Sienna
of playing psychological games. The Silver King would never have felt the need
to persuade someone with insincere words. She had always been in a position of
strength.
END BOOK 4
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