tyrant chapter 4

“I’ll take her as a reward for conquering the Kingdom of Baoloradrem.”

Publicly, it would be a reward bestowed by the Emperor. In reality, even the Emperor had lost the princess to Karta. He’d wanted Fiogen Lorecia dead, believing the eradication of the entire royal family would prevent rebellion. He believed war was the only way to ensure his safety. However, Karta Helseiro was a man who took what he wanted. Forcibly taking Fiogen from him now could mean losing the Crown Prince, whom he still protected.

“I heard the princess lost a lot of blood. Tsk. I trust she’s not in mortal danger?”

The Emperor feigned concern while subtly hinting at his willingness to have her killed. She might be safe behind Karta for now, but he didn’t believe this would change her ultimate fate. How long would Karta Helseiro, a man not easily swayed by sentiment, maintain his interest in a deposed princess?

“…She suffered a minor injury to her fingertip.”

Karta, the celebrated war hero, wore an expression of profound guilt. Even seeing it with his own eyes, the Emperor couldn’t quite believe it. He’d always been pleased with Karta, sometimes to the point of anger. He believed all of Karta’s qualities should have belonged to Belzenta. This human side of Karta was utterly foreign to him.

He’s probably just upset about a scratch on his new toy.

The Emperor nodded sympathetically. “Dear me, you should have been more careful.”

At his words, Karta’s eyes flashed, and the Emperor, inwardly startled, fidgeted with his beard. He hadn’t expected such a reaction.

This was only the second time Karta had shown interest in another person.

“It would be best not to strip Princess Lorecia of her title. I won’t tolerate anyone mistreating what’s mine.”

The Emperor opened and closed his mouth several times before finally nodding. Karta’s blatant possessiveness, his clear warning that no one should disrespect Lorecia, left him bewildered.

“Ahem. Women tend to shy away from harsh treatment.”

At that, Karta’s expression hardened. The Emperor’s words, implying that women should be pursued by force, struck a discordant note. Karta had never treated anyone with tenderness. He had no idea how to treat a woman, renowned as he was for his lack of experience with them. Perhaps it was to be expected.

“If you need advice from your old father, I can offer a few suggestions…”

The Emperor, a man who’d been in love with numerous women, had Karta’s attention. Of course, Karta found the Emperor’s philandering disgusting, which was why he’d avoided women himself.

“It’s nothing complicated. Start with jewels. All women love sparkly things.”

The Emperor, beaming, began listing the various jewels he knew. Karta had a few himself, gifts received here and there, but he’d never bothered with them.

He’d once asked Duke Delcart why he’d spend dozens of gold coins on such trinkets. The Duke, proudly holding up a jewel, had replied, “This is a true investment.” Karta had kept his own jewels since then. If they could multiply in value, he saw no reason to discard them.

“So, which jewel should I give her?” Karta’s blunt question caused the Emperor to cough awkwardly. He stroked his chin, lost in thought, before answering with a benevolent smile.

“Haha. A ring, of course. I don’t know her taste, being a foreign princess, but a ring carries significant meaning.”

Karta’s expression suggested he didn’t see any meaning in a mere ring. The Emperor’s eyes crinkled at the corners.

“Does a ring truly hold such significance?”

“Of course. It’s a token of love.”

Karta’s eyes cooled instantly, as if the word “love” held a completely different meaning for him.

“I see you didn’t bring her here out of love.”

Karta nodded. The Emperor stared at him, utterly perplexed.

“I’m not foolish enough to fall in love so easily.”

The Emperor frowned. Love could fade easily, but possessiveness was a different matter entirely.

“It’s easy to conquer a nation, but subduing a single person is a far more delicate and difficult task.”

Karta nodded slowly. He still wasn’t entirely sure why he’d brought Princess Lorecia to the empire.

“Your mother was that kind of woman for me.”

The Emperor had never spoken of Karta’s mother in his presence. Many in the empire considered Karta’s mother, Cirenzel, to be the Emperor’s greatest mistake. Karta, more than anyone, didn’t want to hear about her. He hated the woman who had abandoned him and chosen death.

“You’ve said enough. I’ll take my leave.”

Karta rose, his voice cold, and offered a curt farewell.