Another banquet was held in the palace to celebrate the Crown Prince of Aradhya’s departure. It was a party more boisterous than the first, lasting for an entire week—a blatant expression of their joy at the Crown Prince’s departure.

Though Crown Prince Aleric never showed his so-called tyranny during the weeks of his visit, the shadow of the cities he trampled and the kingdoms he destroyed loomed over him like a thick curtain of darkness.

But fear could never stop a man’s greed and ambition. Almost all of the nobles who joined the celebration still swarmed the crown prince like annoying flies in hopes of forming a relationship with the future emperor of Aradhya and expanding their businesses in the great empire.

The grand duke of Lennox, who is still at odds with his majesty, was also in attendance. In front of their foreign visitor, they still needed to act as a united empire.

Of course, the greatest beauty in the land could not be absent. Rumors have spread like wildfire that their beautiful goddess has finally been ensnared by a mortal in the guise of the Crown Prince. This was further proven when they saw Ingrid's brooding face throughout the entire banquet.

They assumed that she was saddened by the Crown Prince’s departure.

Although Ingrid rarely smiles, they could feel that this time it was different. Some who got close to her even said that they could feel the air of sadness surrounding her. They couldn't help but pity her—their once proud beauty who was brought low by the heartache of her first love.

However, Ingrid wasn’t really acting this time. But she isn’t exactly sad. Rather, she was both annoyed and frustrated.

Ingrid's mind wrestled with the implications of Aleric’s words, trying to decipher the connection between beauty and power that he seemed to believe she possessed. However, she couldn't fathom how one's appearance could determine one's ability to rule or influence the fate of an entire kingdom.

“You look pretty angry.”

Ingrid shot an exasperated glance at Aleric, who had effortlessly maneuvered his way beside her without drawing any attention. He was dressed in a midnight blue suit, the insignia of the Aradhya empire gleaming on its buttons and cuffs.

He looked rather ‘princely’. The suit accentuated his regal bearing, lending him an air of authority and charm that could undoubtedly warm the hearts of his people and soothe their troubled spirits.

Yet Ingrid was painfully aware of the beast that lurked beneath that charm, a creature capable of tearing its prey to shreds without a flicker of remorse.

“I was pretty insulted,” she responded with sarcasm.

Aleric chuckled in disbelief. “By what I previously said?” he asked, his voice laced with amusement.

“Who said it was about what you said?"

Aleric looked at her with an arrogant smile. “Because among the people you often interact with,” he acted as though he was counting the handful of people that Ingrid knew—a number so small he could count it with his fingers. “I’m the only one who can.”

Ingrid wished she could punch him in the face. But with how thick his face is, she’ll just end up hurting herself.

“I once read of a queen who was endowed with great beauty,” Ingrid said. “She slept with powerful men to protect her kingdom.”

"And..." Aleric trailed, urging Ingrid to continue.

“Are you saying that I should sleep with powerful men to gain power?" She asked accusingly.

Aleric shook his head in disappointment. He grabbed a glass of wine from a try held by a passing servant and drank it in one go. “If that’s how you see it, then that’s all you’re amounting to.”

Ingrid frowned, feeling like she had been insulted yet again. But before she could say another word, she found that the crown prince was no longer beside her. What remained was his lingering warmth, which slowly faded away.

Time drifted quickly while she pondered his words.

Aleric’s words really troubled her. She thought about it all the way home to her palace, but still she couldn’t find an answer.

Ingrid entered her room with her mind still somewhere else, and she didn’t realize that there was a man leaning on the wall close to the door.

“What took you so long?”

Ingrid quickly closed the door shut out of reflex and looked at Aleric with eyes wide-open. “What are you doing here?”

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“Come with me. I’ll show you something,” Aleric said, ignoring her question.

But then they heard a knock on the door.

This wasn’t the first time that they ended up in such a situation, but Ingrid was still nervous.

“My lady, we’ve brought your bath water,” said the maid outside her door.

“Send it back. I’m really tired today. I think I’ll just bathe tomorrow,” Ingrid replied, making her voice sound tired and weary.

“Then, shall we help you remove your dress?”

“It’s okay. I already took it off.”

Ingrid glared at Aleric, who then eyed her like a pervert. She hugged herself defensively.

“Didn’t you hear the lady say she was tired?" She heard the intimidating voice of Iris intervening. “Why are you still bothering her?”

Ingrid heard a series of footsteps scurrying away. She profusely thanked Iris in her heart, relieved. It’s such a blessing to have someone who knows about her burdensome secret.

“Let’s go,” Aleric said impatiently, pulling Ingrid toward him by the waist.

“Whoa, where exactly are we going?” She asked in a low voice and tried to push Aleric away to no avail. “And how do you possibly think we can get there?”

Aleric smiled mischievously and said, “I’ll let you in on a little secret, but you have to promise not to tell anyone.”

Ingrid swallowed hard. As if she has the guts to. Just thinking about the consequences is enough to put a lid on her mouth.

“Stay close to me,” Aleric whispered close to her ears, making her body tingle.

A sudden chill swept over Ingrid as she felt an ominous presence that seemed to wrap itself around her. She made the mistake of glancing down, and her eyes widened. Her body was slowly being devoured by a void of darkness, so dark that it swallowed even the light of the mana lamps in her room.

Driven by an instinctive fear, Ingrid burrowed herself into Aleric's broad chest. His warmth calmed her nerves a little. She closed her eyes tightly, her heart pounding against her ribs, ironically dreading the moment when she opened her eyes and found herself in complete darkness.

"We're here," Aleric announced. Sensing her distress, he gently rubbed her back, his touch surprisingly soothing. If she were in her right mind, she would have mocked him in disbelief that his cruel hands were capable of giving comfort.

Yet, there she was, nestled within those same hands, seeking solace in their touch, finding an unexpected refuge in his embrace.

It took a few minutes before Ingrid finally regained her composure.

Her face flushed crimson as she slowly disentangled herself from Aleric's embrace, a wave of embarrassment washing over her.

"What exactly was that?" she asked, her eyes darting around the place, avoiding Aleric's gaze.

"That was my power," he explained, his voice soft and calm. "I have the ability to command the darkness, to bend it to my will."

Ingrid's eyes widened in a mix of fear and awe. The rumors of his extraordinary abilities were no exaggeration, she realized. In fact, they may be an understatement of his true potential.

“Where exactly are we?” She asked.

Standing atop an unfamiliar building, Ingrid surveyed the bustling cityscape below. She recognized the landmarks—the towering spires and grand plazas—that marked the heart of the empire's capital. Yet, the maze of streets and alleyways was foreign to her.

“This is a famous street in the capital. How come you don’t know this place?” Aleric asked, a bit astonished.

She glanced around, her eyes taking in the vibrant scene unfolding before her. Despite the late hour, the streets were teeming with life. Vendors hawked their wares from makeshift stalls, their voices weaving a lively tapestry of sound that echoed through the night.

“They are celebrating a festival today. That’s why the streets are pretty crowded, though it’s already pretty late,” Aleric explained.

Aleric noticed the deeming glow on Ingrid’s eyes as she spoke, “I’ve only been to three places in the capital. The palace, the hunting lodge and… the central plaza…” Her voice filled with inexplicable sadness shook at the mention of the last place as she was once again reminded of the terrible memories attached to it.

Despite being the daughter of the richest and most powerful noble in the empire, Ingrid's world had been confined inside her luxurious palace. She had never ventured outside of their dukedom, never experienced the vibrancy and chaos of the streets, and never tasted the freedom of exploring on her own terms—except for that one time she ended up being abducted.

Her isolation stemmed from her unique circumstances—possessing an unparalleled beauty. But it wasn’t the grand duke who had confined her. In fact, the grand duke wishes so much that she could live a normal life. So in his striving to balance her freedom and protection, he would often bring her with him when he traveled outside the palace so she could experience the world.

That was before what happened six years ago. After she was returned, Ingrid locked herself in her room. Despite the grand duke’s coaxing, she was unmoving. She never joined the grand duke on his travels again.

So in fear that someone would take her while he was away. The Grand Duke built the Dahlia Palace—a well-guarded palace comparable to a war fortress filled with warding spells and traps to stop outsiders who dare sneak in. It did it’s job quite well, until the crown prince came.

Long story short, it was Ingrid who had constructed her own cage, shielding herself from the world but also denying herself the chance to experience it.

“So, what exactly are we doing here?" She asked to distract herself from the nightmares trying to claw their way out of the deepest corner of her mind.

“We’re here to learn about your power,” Crown Prince Aleric answered.

Ingrid frowned, confused. How is she going to learn about this so-called power in this place?

Aleric patted Ingrid on the shoulder and pointed at someone in the crowd. “See that man with gold chains on his neck? Watch him closely.”

Ingrid easily found the man Aleric was pointing at. He was a rather short man, though his width was almost double his height, occupying a large area of the street as he walked. He was wearing clothes that looked rather expensive. The jewelry around his hand and neck glittered in the light of the lanterns.

A tall man with a body packed with muscle followed close to him. Perhaps a bodyguard.

Ingrid was about to ask Aleric why she needed to watch this short man when suddenly, an ugly-looking woman bumped into him. The man staggered at the weight of himself and almost fell, if not for the quick hands of his bodyguard. All the muscles on the body guards arms flexed as he tried to steady his master.

She couldn’t hear what they were saying from where they were, but she could tell that the woman was repeatedly apologizing.

But the woman was sent flying after the bodyguard backhanded her under the fat man’s command.

A gasp escaped Ingrid’s lips while the woman lay motionless on the side of the road. No one dared to help her, afraid of the giant man beside the fat man.