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"What?"

"Yes! They said the emperor sent a royal decree to the House of Vandran and marrying Lady Daniella off to another country!"

"Oh, good lord! It\'s a royal decree? Did His Majesty really lose --"

"Shhh! Hold your tongue unless you want it to get cut."

"But... if that is true, what is going to happen now? The aristocratic faction would surely oppose this order."

The news of the emperor\'s royal decree about Aries\'s marriage to be the crown princess of another empire spread like wildfire. Every tea party, banquets, and secret gathering would always talk about this recent news. Aries was Dexter\'s sister. Considering her status and birthright, people were speculating she could be the empress in the future.

The aristocrats were pushing her to become the empress. Well, it was obvious why, because an empress from the aristocratic faction would give them more power and influence. Moreover, Aries\'s being the empress would truly put a good balance in power... or could also threaten the power the emperor held.

Some believed it would put a balance while others argued the emperor\'s action was to be predicted since it could threaten his authority. Despite all those speculations, one thing remained in everyone\'s head.

What would be the marquess\'s next action? This was obviously the emperor\'s bold offense.

Meanwhile, in the marquess\'s estate, Aries and Dexter sat from across each other in his office at home. The atmosphere in the room, although they were silently drinking tea, was peaceful. Completely different from the heated conversations in most parts of the capital.

"By the way." Aries cleared her throat, placing the teacup back on the coffee table between them. "I heard your party is angry about the news."

"They are." Dexter leaned back, resting his arm on the armrest while holding his hands together. "They\'d been pushing you to become the empress, pressuring His Majesty to take an empress. It\'s worrying how they forgot what happened the last time they pressured him. People surely never learn."

Aries chuckled at his fed-up reaction. "You never told me how you will resolve it, though. You can\'t just agree so easily."

"It\'s a royal decree, Dani. Even if I am the leader of the aristocratic faction, I am still a citizen of Haimirich and a subject of His Majesty. In other words, I am but a toy who had a bit of value." Dexter shrugged, a little too nonchalant about his blunt remarks.

"You make it sound like it\'s bad."

"Is it not?"

Aries frowned as her shoulders lowered. "Then… how would you agree without angering anyone?"

"Dani." Dexter looked at her thoroughly, as if appraising her value, until she tilted her head to the side.

"Hmm?"

"Dani, from a political perspective, your value is high. Even if you cannot be the empress of Haimirich, this marriage will still give our house advantages." He nodded with his lips closed. "Since it\'s a royal decree under the facade of His Majesty being threatened by the growing power of the aristocrat, agreeing to it is inevitable. All I can do is gain more than I lost."

"I hate politics," she mumbled, making him laugh shortly. "But well… as long as it won\'t put you in trouble."

"I was never in trouble, Dani."

"I\'m just saying, alright?" she rolled her eyes, shrugging nonchalantly. "I\'ll be away for some time and I will miss you."

He smiled subtly. "Don\'t worry about me. You\'re the one who is getting hitched to a piece of garbage." Despite the gentle smile plastered on his face, his eyes glinted wickedly.

"Dani… make sure to let them feel your pain a hundredfold."

"Pfft —! I hear that a lot." Aries chuckled, shaking her head. Honestly, she didn\'t know if they were bad influences or they simply wanted for her to get her justice. Either way, it was an eye for an eye and tooth for tooth.

She had come this far and there was no backing down now.

"That\'s because they deserved it." Dexter shrugged nonchalantly as he reached for the teacup.

"I know. Isn\'t that the reason I worked hard day and night?" her eyes this time glinted as she smirked, reaching for the cup of tea and raising her gaze over the rim. "My tutors aren\'t the types to be taken lightly. It\'ll be a disappointment if I didn\'t learn from all of you."

Dexter taught her everything she needed about poison. Gustav had been teaching her techniques in brewing tea. She trained extensively under Isaiah, and Conan helped her broaden her knowledge of the Maganti Empire.

Although Aries lived in that empire for two years as a slave, she was barely involved in politics. So, she still needed information on who to watch out for and the current state of affairs.

And then Abel for emotional support. Well, she could say Abel taught her seduction and trained her stamina. Thanks to him, she could exercise even late at night.

"I\'m somehow… thrilled," came out a whisper as she placed the teacup back on the sauce and cast Dexter a knowing look.

"I feel mixed emotions."

"You behave here once I set off." She glared at him, thinking that she kept telling this to everyone. Dexter was the least of the people she was worried about. The one that truly needed to behave was Abel and Conan.

Dexter raised his hands. "Those reminders shouldn\'t be directed to me."

"I would think so too… if this was before." Aries rolled her eyes, making him chuckle charmingly.

Aries shook her head and sighed, but chuckle shortly after. Her days in Haimirich had become like this, peaceful and stress-free, prepared for the upcoming events that were approaching.

It was those last peaceful days before Aries stood in front of the altar, marrying her groom\'s shadow in a ten-minute ceremony, and setting off to the place that gave her hell.

She was coming back to that hell in the beautiful white bridal dress she promised to dye in red once she returned to the Haimirich Empire. That… would be her trophy.

The emperor of the Haimirich Empire wouldn\'t accept anything less, after all.

<strong>— End of Volume 1 —</strong>