If we imported more gold from Majaar, that meant Bern’s mercenaries would have an easier time moving through the region, and we could set up a base for our guild in Aram. Once that was in place, we’d have free rein to send in our spies.
That meant gathering intel on Majaar and the Egrich Empire would be much easier. No wonder Dirk was practically rubbing his hands together in glee.
Not that I was doing any of this for his sake, of course. It was all to support Lucas, after everything he went through for us. Even if Majaar and Bern were allies, that didn’t mean a betrayal like Akeem’s would never happen again. We needed some sort of physical deterrents to keep them in check.
Bern would provide Aram with strong defensive barriers to better protect its people, and in return, Aram would accept more of Bern’s guild mercenaries.
It was a win-win situation for Aram. Bern would gain an ally, and all Prince Islan would have to do was keep Aram happy. So yes, I was ordering him to make Princess Yana his queen. It was payback for him trying to push a woman onto Lucas.
But I didn’t want him to get the wrong idea.
“Prince Islan, it’s not up to you or me to decide who becomes your wife,” I said.
“What?”
“The desert rose can only be used when the dancer’s flame goes out. In other words, if the dancer doesn’t want to marry the person who offers the desert rose to her, she’ll keep her flame lit. Isn’t that how it works?” I asked.
That rule was essential to the harem. Without it, the careful balance that its women maintained around the man they shared would fall apart.
And if that rule existed, I might as well use it to my advantage.
“That’s true, but…” Prince Islan didn’t seem to be following. He glanced between me and Princess Yana, clearly confused.
I called out to her softly over my shoulder. It was her turn now.
“Princess Yana. Would you dance?”
“I-I can’t believe you… You’re terrifying, you know that? A Bern princess giving me the right to choose like this… It’s honestly scary!” She gasped, her voice shaking with emotion, and for a moment, I wondered if I pushed her too hard.
But one should always wield the right to make decisions about their own life. Because without that right, you’d lose the confidence to stand on your own two feet. Trust and love became fragile, fleeting things.
And the title of “queen” came with responsibility. The higher the status of your husband, the more resolve you had to have in order to walk beside him of your own free will.
So she could either keep the flame lit and walk away from Prince Islan, or she could extinguish it and claim the position of his rightful wife and queen. Either way was fine.
But none of it could happen unless she danced. I needed her to go through with that part.
“I’ll respect whatever choice you make, Princess Yana. No matter what your answer is, Bern will always remain an ally to Aram. Don’t worry about that.”
“Ha ha. You’re more reassuring than Islan ever was. Thank you, Princess Cecilia.” Her soft laugh was free of sorrow, and her teary thank you made me sigh with relief.
Prince Islan was the only one in the room with no one in his corner, and, clearly embittered by that, blurted out a challenge that brought a hush over the room. “And what if I don’t choose Yana?”
Wow. Was everyone else struck by how pitiful this guy is just now?
“Ugh… Why do I even love this man…” Yana muttered.
“Pathetic,” Anna said.
“He’s so petty,” Kate agreed.
“Don’t tell me you’re gonna reject her after all that!” Elsa said.
“Elsa’s right! Read the room already! After all that love, you’re turning her down now? You brat! I’ll eat you alive.”
I understood Yana, Anna, Kate, and Elsa’s reactions. But why was Barnabash even more riled up than the rest of them? Maybe it was because he’d been trying so hard to get closer to Elsa so she’d be his companion. Perhaps he was just extra sensitive these days.
Whatever the case, there was still a chance that Prince Islan might back out, so I needed to push a little harder.
“If you don’t choose her, it’s no problem at all. Bern would benefit greatly from acquiring Aram as an autonomous territory. We’d have gold work, silk textiles, countless artisans, and workshops. And my dear friend would be there too. Personally, there’s a lot here I’d love to have.” I smiled sweetly as if to say, Go ahead and decide whatever you like! I felt Lucas’s shoulders shaking slightly.
“Heh… Ha ha. Seriously, you’re way too cool, Cecilia. You’re so far beyond what I expected that I can’t even feel jealous of Princess Yana right now.”
You look way too pleased with yourself, Lucas! You’re the one who told me to take him down. That was a compliment, right? And where, exactly, is the reason to be jealous here? Are you seriously the kind of guy who’d get jealous over my female friend? Is that why you’ve always been such a loner?
As that shocking realization hit me, I got all flustered from the fact that I’d just won a full-blown political conflict while sitting on my husband’s lap. I leaned back against his chest and nudged him with my elbow to stop laughing.
Lucas pulled me tight and kissed my cheek like he was congratulating me, and I could feel my face flush with heat.
“I just fell in love with you all over again, my darling wife.”
“D-don’t say that! We’re not done yet! Don’t get my guard down like that!” I didn’t lean back because I wanted a kiss!
It was so unfair how just a few words from Lucas could make all my tension melt. I really wish he’d stop spoiling me like this.
Just as I thought that, I let out a little sigh into his warm arms. Then Dirk spoke up, sounding impressed. “Hmm, that went even better than I imagined. It’s like we got Aram without even rolling up our sleeves. That was remarkable, Princess Cecilia. No complaints here! That’s enough, right, Prince Islan?”
Um, did Dirk just praise me?
I’m thrilled, of course, but the way he just said, “That’s enough…” Isn’t he clearly ready to push for more? That’s terrifying!
If Dirk got involved, Prince Islan would end up with absolutely nothing left. It was best to end this now before things got worse. I glanced at the prince, silently urging him to cut his losses and quit while he was still ahead.
He raised his head slightly, a bitter look on his face.
“Fine. I understand. I admit defeat. Forgive me for losing my temper earlier, Yana.”
That’s not how you apologize, I thought, when the sound of someone suddenly standing up made me jump. I looked over Lucas’s shoulder to see what was happening.
“What kind of apology is that?! It’s not like I needed you to choose me in the first place!”
Has she finally let go? Or is she just trying to?
Princess Yana’s clearly confrontational tone made me nervous again. Maybe this wasn’t going smoothly after all.
I was just about to step in when Prince Islan dropped a bombshell that made my eyes go wide.
“You must be in love with someone else. That’s the only explanation. No matter how many years I begged, you never said yes. But then, out of nowhere, you danced at a banquet and joined my harem. It didn’t make sense. You must’ve been laughing at me, thinking I’d be fooled! I was ready to let you go and give you to Prince Lucas, but even now, you’ve twisted that into a spectacle to use as your trump card. I should’ve never loved a woman like you!”
U-um, wait. Is Prince Islan actually the one with some grand, hopeless, warped, one-sided love?!
“Wh-what?! I only said your little brother was too young! And every time I turned you down, you just retaliated by bringing more women into the harem! I fought to make it here, pushed everyone else aside to be here, and then you yourself sent me off to Prince Lucas! What else did you expect me to do?!”
So they were in love with each other all along, but they both thought the other had someone else? A classic case of mutual love mistaken for unrequited longing.
“And there he goes, starting the ‘What else was I supposed to do?’ argument!” Dirk chimed in. “Well, it’s a mess, but at least it’s entertaining.”
Dirk. Shut up! Are you seriously planning to stir things up between them if Prince Islan doesn’t agree with my proposal?
I swear, he and Prince Islan are the worst. I’m never calling Dirk my brother-in-law again, unless I absolutely have to!
Still, it was quite awkward, sitting quietly between the two of them while they screamed at each other.
This would be the right moment for Lucas to break the tension, right? I turned toward him expectantly, but…
He rose to his feet, his face terrifyingly sharp.
“Barnabash! They’re underground!”