Kaian's body was rigid, like a statue of steel, throbbing with suppressed rage. I felt the muscles of his chest shift under my palms, and for a fleeting moment, I saw genuine shock in his eyes—before it swiftly hardened into lethal cold.
His hand rose to push me away.
In the corner of my vision, the system counter blinked ominously.
[System: 3… 4…]
Don't flinch.
Men like him could smell fear.
I buried my face deeper into his military jacket, inhaling the scent of sandalwood, iron, and gunpowder. His body was shockingly warm against the chill surrounding me.
[5… Mission complete.]
[+7 days life.]
[Time remaining: 371 days.]
Seven days… for five seconds.
If only every gamble were this straightforward.
But this was only the beginning.
Kaian finally pushed me back with controlled force—not enough to hurt me, but enough to remind me of my place.
"What do you think you're doing?"
His voice was low, rough, and dripping with thinly veiled disgust.
I stepped back two slow paces, adjusting the collar of my dress as if it had all been part of a calculated plan, not a desperate rush.
"Saving your life."
He let out a short, humorless laugh.
"From you?"
Good. Mockery meant he hadn't lost control… yet.
I met his gaze steadily. No breaking. No tears. No hysterical screaming like the original Evelyn on this very day, according to the novel.
"If you leave with Sir Vance now… you won't come back alive."
Something shifted in his expression—not disbelief, but calculation.
"Vance has saved my life three times. Fought by my side during the Virad siege, the Northern Rebellion, and the Western Border War. And you—" he stepped closer, his voice chilling—"are accused of attempting to poison Isabella two nights ago."
Her name passed through the room like a cold wind.
Isabella. The original heroine. Beloved by the people. Symbol of purity.
And my first enemy.
"I didn't poison her."
"The evidence was in your room."
I smiled faintly, barely visible.
"The evidence was far too obvious."
Silence.
Then I added calmly, measured:
"If I had wanted to kill her, I would have done it without leaving a trace. A fall down the stairs. An allergic reaction. A sudden illness. I would have chosen a method that wouldn't point back to me so easily."
It was dangerous.
Extremely dangerous.
But I couldn't afford the luxury of kindness.
His golden eyes locked on me, searching for a flaw. A tremor. A lie.
They found nothing.
Because I hadn't lied.
I truly hadn't poisoned her.
[Warning: Heart rate elevated.]
I ignored it.
"Sir Vance's sword isn't his usual blade today," I said casually, as if commenting on the weather.
"And what makes you an expert on my guards' weapons?"
"Because I'm not as stupid as you think."
I took only one calculated step forward.
"The blade has been replaced with the 'Dagger of Decay.' Poisoned. A single deep strike could stop your heart within minutes."
At that exact moment—
A knock.
Three steady, military knocks.
"Your Highness? The Lords' Council meeting starts in ten minutes. Horses are ready," said Vance.
I glanced at the door, then back to Kaian.
"Now."
He didn't move immediately—but he didn't open the door either.
And that… was the first crack.
He approached me slowly until I felt the cold scabbard of his sword brush my hip.
"If you're lying, Evelyn… you won't die quickly."
I didn't swallow. I didn't back away.
"And if I'm telling the truth?"
Silence.
Then he turned and opened the door.
Sir Vance stood there, just like in the novel. Silver armor gleaming. Broad shoulders. A stern face marked by an old scar across his brow.
The man described as "the Crown Prince's unbreakable shield."
But above his head, the truth blinked:
[Name: Vance Croft]
[Status: Under Dark Subjugation Magic]
[Control Level: 78%]
[Weapon: Dagger of Decay — Poisoned]
78%?
Not full control.
Which meant… resistance.
Kaian stepped into the hallway, and I remained a step behind. He didn't stop me.
"Vance," he said in that unnervingly calm tone. "Hand me your sword."
The air froze.
"Your Highness?"
"I want to compare it to mine. I heard the Rosefeld smiths developed a new technique."
A clever move—tying it to my family to gauge his reaction.
Vance's hand trembled—just for a fraction of a second.
But it was enough.
I saw it.
Kaian saw it.
[Subjugation rate rising: 83%]
His eyes flickered to a dim black for a split second… then returned.
"My sword is dirty from morning training. I'll bring it later."
Mistake.
Kaian never repeated a request in his life.
"Give it to me. Now."
The Crown Prince's tone… left no room for argument.
The struggle was clear now on Vance's face. Jaw muscles tight. Cold sweat at his temple.
[Warning: Emergency protocol for controlling sorcerer activated.]
Everything happened at once.
A sudden movement.
Metal scraping.
Vance's sword shot from its sheath like lightning—
and didn't aim at Kaian to hand it over.
It lunged straight for his heart.
---
Time slowed.
I saw the distance.
I saw the angle.
I saw how that strike—even if not instantly lethal—would poison him.
[Defensive mission available.]
[Activate Charm Barrier.]
[Cost: -20 days.]
[Warning: Repeated use may cause physical collapse.]
Twenty days.
A third of a month.
But if he died… I would die after him, politically or physically.
"Activate."
I didn't scream this time.
I said it internally, coldly.
A force ripped from my chest violently, as if someone plunged their hand into my soul and pulled out a long thread of light.
Pain.
Clean, sharp pain.
A violet glow emerged from my palms, forming a thin barrier between the blade and Kaian's chest.
The sword struck it.
Clang!
The sound echoed down the hallway like a small explosion.
The blade bounced off forcefully, deflecting its course.
It didn't pierce him—
only grazing his shoulder.
A drop of blood.
But the poison hadn't entered.
Kaian needed no more.
He moved like a body built for killing.
He twisted, grabbed Vance's wrist, slammed him with the hilt of his sword to knock the dagger away, then shoved him into the wall with enough force to make the armor clang.
Kaian's sword rested at his former guard's throat.
"Who sent you?"
His voice wasn't angry.
It was terrifyingly calm.
Vance tried to speak.
I saw true resistance in his eyes this time. Like he was fighting from within.
"S… Your Highness… I—"
[Activate Silence Oath.]
Black foam spilled from his mouth.
His eyes rolled back.
His body convulsed… then stilled.
Dead.
No answers.
No confession.
No salvation.
A heavy silence fell.
The guards at the end of the hallway froze, unable to comprehend what had happened in just two seconds.
I looked at my counter.
[351 days remaining.]
I'd lost twenty full days.
And nothing was over yet.
Kaian stood slowly. Blood trickled lightly from his shoulder where the blade had grazed him.
He turned to me.
A completely new look.
Not just hatred.
Not just doubt.
But… threat assessment.
"The magic you used," he said slowly, "was no ordinary magic."
I said nothing.
"Purple."
Silence.
"The color of the royal Xesaros legacy."
He stepped closer.
"How do you possess it?"
I could have lied.
I could have claimed it was an optical illusion.
But we had passed the stage of simple lies.
"Because someone wants you dead more than they want me dead."
I neither denied nor confirmed.
His face didn't move, but his eyes narrowed.
The guards surrounded the body. One whispered about summoning the palace sorcerer.
The situation had spiraled out of control.
And this… was good.
The more chaos, the more chance I had to rewrite the story.
[System store unlocked.]
[+100 Charm Points.]
[Warning: You have begun altering the original course of events.]
I knew.
And I intended to continue.
Kaian stepped closer until I could feel the heat of his breath.
He raised his bloodied hand—
and for a moment, I thought he would seize my neck.
But he grabbed a strand of my hair instead.
"The engagement will not be broken."
Then, in a low voice only I could hear:
"But from now on… you are the most dangerous person in my palace."