chapter 16
For a moment, Tania thought she could see something sharp — a hint of malice, as if Kailhart himself had been hurt.
‘From Kailhart…?’
“Forgive me, Your Majesty.”
Tania managed it, clenching her jaw. She bowed her head to Kailhart.
“There have been many matters requiring my attention over the past few days. I am afraid that I was careless and overstepped the mark by causing you unnecessary concern with my rash and thoughtless words a moment ago.”
“Save your empty apologies.”
Kailhart cut her off with a slight nod, showing no interest.
“If you want to prove your sincerity, show it.”
“Sincerity…? What do you mean—”
“You seem to know how to ask for forgiveness on behalf of both your friend and your father.”
Trembling and biting her lip, Tania’s entire body tensed at his pointed reminder of the humiliating way in which her late father had conducted diplomacy. As she slowly lowered herself to her knees, Kailhart spoke again.
“Not here.”
“…Excuse me?”
“In the plaza.”
‘There’s an outfit just for the occasion.’
He nodded curtly at one of his attendants.
“Your Majesty, that—”
One of the courtiers began to speak, but quickly fell silent, taken aback by his own audacity.
Kailhart had ordered her to bow her head and beg for forgiveness in front of the entire empire, not in private. It was a calculated move intended to crush any hint of resistance and remind them of their subjugated status.
“If you’ll follow me this way.”
The attendant said quietly, approaching Tania to guide her.
‘Ceremonial attire…?’
Tania hesitated, uncertain, but followed. Then she stopped in her tracks.
“…What is this…?”
Tania’s face contorted with shock when she saw the so-called ‘ceremonial attire’. It wasn’t really clothing, but rather a collection of ragged scraps. Even Tania’s attendants fell silent in disbelief.
Isabel only heard what had happened in the plaza once it was all over.
In front of the crowd gathered in the main square of the imperial capital, beneath the statue of the emperor, Tania had been forced to kneel and bow her head in abject humiliation.
Such a sight was almost unheard of: a sovereign dressed in rags prostrating herself before everyone. News of it spread like wildfire, reaching even the depths of the imperial palace where Isabel was staying.
“Tania.”
When Isabel met Tania in the palace gardens that evening, she hesitated for a moment, unsure what to say.
The last time they had met there, Tania had smiled and asked if they could meet again later. Isabel had readily agreed, never imagining that things would turn out like this.
“You really went through so much.”
Tania approached wordlessly, holding a box that was roughly the length of a forearm.
“At least it doesn’t look like today’s events will escalate into a diplomatic crisis.”
“Are you truly that dense, Isabel?”
Tania cut her off.
“Not only me—you had to bow your head in front of Kailhart, too. Like a dog… in front of everyone…”
The box in Tania’s arms shook with the force of her trembling.
Isabel let out a small sigh.
“Tania, in that moment, it was the best I could do—”
“Sure.”
Tania replied, her voice barely above a whisper as she stared down at the box in her arms, her eyes gone cold.
“Looks like you don’t even realize you were humiliated.”
Despite her tone, the anger was clear.
Just as Isabel was about to reply, Tania looked away, her curly hair falling forward and covering her eyes.
“That’s enough. Here.”
Tania thr*st the box toward Isabel, but just as Isabel moved to take it, Tania let it fall at her feet.
With a loud crash, the box hit the ground and its contents spilled out. Several jars rolled away, some breaking open and scattering their contents. Brightly colored paints pooled on the floor.
“I brought these as a gift for you.”
As Isabel watched the vivid reds and blues bleed together, spreading into a deep, bruised purple across the stones, she forgot what she’d meant to say. Her entire body went rigid.
Tania turned to face her, but didn’t move.
“It seems like you don’t need these anymore.”
There was an unfamiliar expression on Tania’s face. Until that moment, Isabel had thought she was simply angry—but she was wrong. The twisted look on Tania’s face was stained with sorrow. In all the years they’d known each other, since their academy days, Isabel had never seen her look like that.
‘So, you’ve chosen to cling to a man like that… to survive by fawning under Kailhart. That was your decision, Princess Isabel.’
Tania was grieving.
She was mourning the loss of the friend who had loved painting, who was quiet but deep, who had always cherished her younger sister and her people above all else.
Isabel’s eyes trembled. Her chest ached. Even though Tania hadn’t said it aloud, Isabel knew. She understood that this was their last conversation as friends.
“I hope the rest of your life is a peaceful one.”
Isabel wanted to reach out, to stop her, but in that moment, she froze.
How could she? With what right?
The girl who had loved to paint was long gone, just as Tania said.
Watching Tania’s back as she walked away, Isabel curled in on herself, silent.
A shard from a broken paint jar brushed her foot, and she reached down to pick it up. Sticky, dark purple paint clung to her fingers.
As she began to clear away the broken glass, she noticed how much of it was red. Looking down, she saw that her fingertips were stained crimson. She must have cut herself at some point, although she hadn’t even noticed.
Cold, dry air stung at her eyes.
Isabel curled her fingers into her palm and closed her eyes.
‘What was my world like before you destroyed it, Kailhart? It all feels so far away now.’
A faint memory from her childhood surfaced—only to fade and blur, slipping away until not even the smallest trace remained.
Tania and the rest of the delegation left a day earlier than planned. Some grumbled over the sudden change in the imperial schedule, but since everyone knew these events were just for show, it didn’t matter much.
“Your Majesty.”
Isabel greeted quietly when Kailhart visited her room late that night.
Without a word, he approached her and reached out, stopping her as she instinctively tried to lower her head before him. He didn’t let her avert her gaze or look away—he forced Isabel’s blue eyes to meet his, holding her there for several long seconds.
Even then, Isabel showed no real reaction. Watching her, Kailhart felt a sudden surge of disbelief. Even now—after all that had happened, after everything he’d put her through—she didn’t ask, didn’t demand to know why.
“What happened to your hand?”
He nodded toward the cuts, clear marks of having been sliced by something sharp. Isabel quickly curled her fingers to hide them.
“It’s nothing.”
“What do you mean, nothing?”
“I was just cleaning up something that broke, earlier.”
Her hair was a mess, but she didn’t care, speaking in the same calm, flat tone as always. Behind her, the room looked as it always did—no sign of the chaos that had happened earlier.
There was nothing out of place. Even the expression on Isabel’s face was as placid as ever. She answered him briefly, then looked away, completely unmoved. That—more than anything—grated on him.
It stung, like something scratching at the inside of his chest.
‘So you can kneel in front of me without a second thought, just for the sake of some friend from your academy days… And yet you don’t even remember all I’ve given up for you.’
“And yet, you stepped forward today—something you never do.”
‘Still, I only ever want you. Pathetic, isn’t it? Even I can see how pitiful I am.’
With a self-mocking smile, Kailhart reached out and cupped Isabel’s cheek.
She was burning up, with a temperature higher than usual. Even in this state, she showed no concern for herself, only talking about her duties and obligations. It was infuriating.
“There won’t be a second time.”
“What?”
“From now on, make sure you only show me your misery, Isabel.”
“What do you mean by that—”
“It’s the right I paid for.”
The right that he had purchased entitled him to claim ownership of Isabel.
“You offered yourself up at that price just to keep your ruined country alive. So you need to take responsibility for that.”
“Your Majesty… what are you saying?”
“Should I make it clearer for you?”
A crooked smile twisted across Kailhart’s lips as he spoke in a low, almost careless voice.
“I’m telling you—I bought you.”
Ah.
Isabel sucked in a shaky breath.
It was something that everyone had said time and time again. To save her own life, she had chosen to crawl to the emperor who had killed her father and sister, throw herself at his feet, and beg for her life.
And yet hearing it from his own lips sent a new shockwave through her.
Her eyes trembled.
