And Thus… It All Comes to an End - Chapter 14

“Father, you summoned me?”

The moment I stepped into the throne room, I felt the air tighten into a thin, sharp tension. Even with the embers flickering in the fireplace, it felt as though that specific spot held a different temperature entirely.

“…The Eisenberg territory has declared its independence as a nation.”

“—!”

I looked up involuntarily. My father’s face was marked not by explosive rage, but by a suppressed, biting irritation. A single vein on his forehead stood stiff.

“It seems they have already obtained recognition from other countries. Calling themselves the Nation of Veridia, other territories are surrendering to them like an avalanche. Their reach already extends to a third of our kingdom.”

“That’s impossible!”

I had intended to grant Luciana a pardon after her ‘judgment’ and make her mine. My schemes were crumbling with a resounding crash. What happened to the troops we sent? Surely, they weren’t annihilated? A clicking of the tongue escaped my lips in a spit of disgust. Useless wretches.

“It would be disastrous to let them expand their borders any further.”

Father’s voice was low, strained as he tried to stifle his impatience.

“However, regardless of recognition from other countries, independence cannot be established without formal recognition from us,” I replied, feigning composure. I straightened my back and kept my voice as level as possible. “The laws state that without Your Majesty’s approval, a coronation cannot be held, nor can she be installed as King.”

“Exactly. However, if that deed the former King supposedly left behind is, by some chance, the real thing…”

Father’s gaze grew sharp.

Who would recognize a mere rebel as a ‘King’? To allow such a precedent would cause the country to split instantly and the order of governance to collapse. There was no way the former King would leave a message saying, ‘Luciana Eisenberg shall not be held accountable for any choice she makes.’ There was no reason to take a letter that only invited resentment seriously. It had to be a fake.

“For now, it is a mere declaration. But it will be troublesome if she moves to execute it. I have no intention of recognizing Luciana as a King.”

“Then, why was I summoned?”

“The truth is, our soldiers were captured. Furthermore, using them as shields, she has had the audacity to demand reparations.”

“Reparations?”

Incredible. It is true that we were the ones who dispatched the troops. But that was supposed to be an ‘act of justice.’ To demand reparations is a brazen request.

“Will you pay the reparations?”

My father’s voice returned immediately, accompanied by a short, derisive snort.

“Hah! Do you think I have any reason to pay? I have already sent a letter of refusal.”

It was an instant answer. That made it even harder to see the meaning behind my being called here.

“Then, for what purpose am I—”

“Listen well, my son.”

Father’s voice sharpened. He flicked a letter on the desk open with his fingertip; it was lined with detailed clauses.

“In exchange for granting Luciana ‘recognition as a King,’ you are to personally deliver the message that she must sign a treaty. If that treaty is established, we can keep her under our country’s control. This is not an alliance; it is a reconstruction of our dominance.”

Father handed me the document. As I looked over it, the contents were cold and ruthless.

• Annual tribute shall follow the amount determined by the Kingdom of Dreisburg.
• The Nation of Veridia shall hold administrative rights, but major policies must be implemented after consultation with the Kingdom of Dreisburg.
• The determination of borders shall follow the instructions of the Kingdom of Dreisburg.
• Alliances with other nations require the approval of the Kingdom of Dreisburg—including cooperation in border defense and limitations on military size.

In name, it was independence; in reality, it was no different from being a vassal state. Father’s goal was clear: to bind her again using power.

“…Will she accept this?”

“I will not yield on a single point. Oh, and do not neglect to verify that deed. Whether it is real or fake, you are to handle its disposal as well.”

Father’s eyes glinted narrowly.

“You are the next King. Think about what kind of future awaits if she refuses.”

Those words fell heavily. My duty as the next King and the personal feelings remaining in the depths of my heart clashed dully. The shadows in the throne room grew long, and it felt as though time itself was slowing down.

If only I had captured Luciana as planned—

My throat clicked involuntarily. Only questions without answers echoed silently.

“…Father. In truth, if Luciana had been captured during this deployment, I intended to make her my consort.”

My voice trembled slightly. The air in the throne room went perfectly still.

“I would watch over her for the rest of her life so she could harbor no wicked thoughts. I intended to suggest to you, Father, that by welcoming two Apostles of the Goddess as Queens, this country would be secure for eternity.”

The moment I finished speaking, silence filled the room.

“…I see.”

Father narrowed his eyes slowly. His voice held neither surprise nor praise. Only a cold silence weighed down heavily on my chest. A gritty sensation spread through my heart. Was it regret, or an obsession I couldn’t let go of? I no longer knew.

Eventually, the corner of Father’s mouth distorted slightly. With eyes that seemed to say, “Not a bad plan,” he summoned an attendant and gave a brief command.

Heavy footsteps followed. The attendant brought in a box that gave off a deep luster, like ebony. The royal crest, engraved in gold, glowed dully in the faint light. An ominous stir rose in my chest.

“—I shall give this to you.”

Father opened the box.

Inside lay a bracelet made of a mixture of silver and black iron. Every time the inlaid gems caught the light, the air trembled with a chill. Despite its beauty, it had an aura that coldly rejected people.

“What is this?”

“The Bracelet of Subordination.”

Father’s voice was low, echoing off the stone walls to sound even colder.

“Once worn, the wearer cannot disobey the commands of the person they first lock eyes with. No matter how strong their will may be.”

“…Does such a thing truly exist?”

My voice shook despite myself. A magic tool. And of the taboo variety that binds a person’s will. Father was offering it as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Something that should have been sealed away ages ago.

“For our country, it is far better for Luciana to become your consort than for her to gain independence.”

Father’s voice continued flatly.

“However, I do not believe that cheeky girl will follow you submissively. It would be a problem if she slit your throat in your sleep.”

The King gave a thin laugh and flicked the bracelet with his fingertip. The metallic ring left a clear chime echoing through the stone hall.

“I leave it to you. It depends on your ‘will’.”

Those words pierced my chest like a blade.

“I accept it with gratitude.”

The moment I received the offered bracelet, I gasped at the cold sensation of the metal against my fingertips. That coldness seemed to seep all the way into my heart.

Closing the box and hiding the bracelet deep within my sleeve, I took my leave from the throne room. The sound of the doors closing behind me echoed. It was a heavy, dry sound as if announcing that there was no path back to where I came from.

—The Bracelet of Subordination.

The moment that name crossed my mind, what ran through my chest was not disgust. It was a faint relief.

I wanted her.

So, I should just capture her. I should keep her alive in a place from which she cannot escape. If I do that, we will understand each other one day even such a convenient fantasy would eventually become “love.”

But the bracelet requires no understanding, no dialogue, no mutual agreement. It is subordination. Is that not much simpler?

Walking down the long corridor, I clenched my fist. With this bracelet, Luciana cannot resist. If I command it, she will smile; if I command it, she will kneel; if I command it, she can even speak of love.

Father is being logical. If that happens, the country will stabilize, the temple will fall silent, and other nations will no longer be able to object. If I hold two Apostles of the Goddess as consorts, I will have faith, bloodline, and authority—I will have everything.

—It is perfect.

Inside my head, I felt like I heard a voice asking if this was truly okay. But I ignored it. I chose not to hear it. Because as the Crown Prince, such things are “unnecessary hesitation.”

I remembered Luciana’s eyes. A gaze as sharp as a blade and as unwavering as a flame. My throat clicked at the thought of those eyes clouding over with a single command.

Suddenly, my feet stopped. The setting sun shining through the corridor windows cast long shadows on the floor. Looking down at myself standing at the end of that shadow, I thought:

Father’s voice resounded in my mind again.

—It depends on your ‘will’.

Will. A convenient word.

For the Royal House.

For the country.

For the Goddess.

If I chant those reasons, any desire can be transformed into justice.

I felt as though the bracelet shifted slightly inside the box, as if it understood “the time of its use.”

I exhaled and started walking again.

The next time I face Luciana, I will stand as the Crown Prince. Carrying the treaty, lining up logic, stripping away any room for rejection. And if she still refuses—

That is the moment I will use this bracelet. Without hesitation. Believing it to be the right thing to do.

Suddenly sensing someone, I looked up to see Sara appearing from the corner of the hallway.

“Crown Prince, I am sorry to bother you while you are busy.”

The way she bowed her head slightly was incredibly submissive. Eyes that knew nothing of doubt.

“No, it’s fine.”

I put on a perfect smile. There would be no cloudiness on this face. No worry, no hesitation, no shadow of sin.

“Did you need something?”

“Father told me that I should walk through the castle with you and learn about this country from you.”

The Prime Minister’s doing. But no matter.

“I see. I’ve just finished my duties.”

—A lie.

But she does not doubt me.

“The corridors are getting cold. Let’s talk while we walk.”

“Yes.”

Sara smiled in relief and stepped half a pace behind me. That distance was comfortable.

“Prince… did something happen?”

My heart jumped for a second at the sudden question.

“No.”

I denied it instantly.

“There is just a slight trouble at the border. It is nothing for you to worry about.”

“But…”

“It is not a problem.”

I strengthened my voice. I wouldn’t let her step in any further.

“The Royal House will handle everything.”

Sara fell silent and eventually gave a small nod.

“I suppose you’re right.”

I felt satisfied by that submissive reply.

“I am on your side.”

The moment I said that, Sara’s eyes sparkled. “Thank you, Prince!”

That smile knew neither doubt nor fear. One day, Luciana will smile in exactly the same way.