Queen of Revenge - Chapter 20

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 20
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The next day, an official royal decree arrived. It was a proclamation granting permission for the marriage between Princess Iolet and Commander Winterbark.
Of course, that was merely the public announcement. Iolet went to the Main Palace to receive her true orders directly from The King.
[I hereby delegate to Princess Iolet authority over diplomatic negotiations at the Northern Border.
The Princess shall proceed to the Northern Border Guard Command Tower within this month, end the border dispute between Elovis and Kalande, and maintain close relations with Kalande’s Northern Fortress.]
Catherine’s objections clearly had not swayed The King.
‘I knew it would come to this. My Elder Sister has always been prone to emotional outbursts at critical moments.’
Of course, receiving permission for the marriage did not mean the ceremony could be held immediately.
Though a bastard, Kairon Winterbark was still The King’s son, so the Kalande Royal Court had to be informed of the marriage.
Since Iolet had no intention of leaving Elovis’s borders anyway, the timing of her departure was flexible. But The King was eager to see her go.
“Now that the marriage is decided, there’s no reason to delay your departure. Leave for the border as soon as you’re ready. I’m tired of the Crown Princess’s tears—your disappearance will resolve matters far more quickly.”
There was no need to linger in Catherine’s stronghold. With a lighter heart, I returned to the East Tower.
As I approached the tower, I spotted a familiar silver-haired figure.
Standing before the Guard Knights who had recently begun protecting Iolet’s Tower was a man with silver hair.
Kairon Winterbark commanded attention wherever he went—whether through his striking appearance, his brilliant achievements, or the superior bloodline that transcended them all.
Had the appointed time already arrived?
Today’s meeting was meant to finalize the details of our agreement.
“Why do you linger outside? Lord Winterbark.”
“I was waiting. When they said the Princess had arrived, I thought it best not to force my way in.”
Kairon turned his head slightly to confirm my presence, his tone deliberately provocative.
As I drew closer, Lucian emerged from behind his imposing frame.
Lucian, who had been watching the visitor with cold eyes, bowed upon seeing me.
“You have arrived, Princess.”
“He is my guest, Lucian. Step aside.”
…
Lucian merely raised and lowered his eyebrows, making no move to step back. His silence seemed to be the strongest form of defiance he could manage.
“It seems the Princess’s loyal knight doesn’t recognize his master.”
Kairon’s low jab was accompanied by a sweeping glance across the sparse tower.
“The Princess’s devoted knight clearly disapproves of me, and there’s little to see inside anyway. Shall we take a walk instead? The weather is lovely.”
“Very well. Don’t follow us, Lord Perein. That’s an order. The same goes for everyone else.”
I turned away from Lucian, whose brow was furrowing.
Walking through the small Front Courtyard that hardly deserved to be called a garden, I handed Kairon the documents I had prepared.
They were the marriage contract terms for our arrangement.
“Read through it. If there are any clauses you wish to modify, let me know. Adding new terms is acceptable, but removing what’s already written will be difficult.”
The contract’s structure was straightforward.
[Iolet Leonelia Belician Ronadel (hereafter Party A) shall assist Kairon Winterbark (hereafter Party B) in ascending to the throne, and Party B shall assist Party A in her revenge.
Party A must place Party B on the throne within two years. In return, Party B shall provide military force and political support whenever Party A requires it.
The contracting parties shall ratify this agreement through marriage. Until both parties’ objectives are achieved, neither Party A nor Party B may demand divorce.
The timing and manner of divorce shall be negotiated by mutual agreement after the objectives are fulfilled.
However, if either party dies in an unforeseen accident for which neither bears responsibility, this contract shall be rendered void. Under no other circumstances may this contract be terminated.
Furthermore, should strategic necessity arise, either party may take a Royal Concubine.]
Not a single clause had been written carelessly.
Kairon, who had been skimming through the documents with casual indifference, paused at one particular section.
A crack appeared in the man’s perpetually composed expression.
“Your Highness. What is this clause?”
“If you have questions, please voice them.”
“The final item troubles me considerably.”
Iolet examined the contract once more.
[Furthermore, should strategic necessity arise, either party may take a Royal Concubine.]
“Well, I thought that was the most essential clause.”
“It sounds as though you’ve already selected candidates for Royal Concubines.”
“Not particularly. I simply intend to employ every means necessary to recruit talent, and in that process, romantic entanglement may occasionally prove useful.”
“I’m quite curious about the scope of what Your Highness considers ‘romantic entanglement.'”
“Naturally, it encompasses both spiritual communion and physical union. Both, without exception.”
What I was about to undertake was a gamble with my entire life at stake.
Whether heart or body, I would sacrifice either whenever and wherever necessary, to whomever required it.
This man faced the same predicament.
“This clause applies equally to you, Commander. You are not exempt.”
“So if you command me to lie with another woman and return, I must obey…?”
A chill descended over Kairon’s eyes.
Iolet, who had just begun mentally placing Catherine beside him, hastily corrected herself.
“Only if necessary, my lord. This is merely a contingency, nothing more.”
“You don’t deny it, then. Does Your Highness possess no moral conscience whatsoever?”
“Is that something you should say to me?”
Absurd. To discuss morality with a man who had slaughtered his own father and brothers?
Kairon tapped his temple thoughtfully.
“I may be many things, but my sense of chastity is firmly intact. There is no other woman I wish to share a bed with besides you.”
“That… statement…”
“There wasn’t one, there isn’t one, and there won’t be one. This clause is disadvantageous only to me. Therefore, it’s deleted.”
Kairon spoke such shameless words without the slightest hesitation. Now it was Iolet’s turn to feel her cheeks burn helplessly.
“Is such a thing truly important to you, my lord? I expected you to scrutinize the preceding clauses more carefully. And I cannot consent to deletion.”
Kairon let out a hollow laugh.
He settled the matter with apparent magnanimity, yet with finality that brooked no further discussion.
“Then let us clarify the clause: should strategic necessity arise, either party may take a Royal Concubine ‘only with mutual consent.'”
This time, there was no grounds to quibble over his words.
Iolet nodded reluctantly.
Yet Kairon’s objections did not end there.
“And one more thing—any heir must come from me alone.”
Ah, an heir.
When Iolet clamped her lips shut once more like an oyster, a crack formed between Kairon Winterbark’s brows.
“I never had the slightest intention of taking a concubine in the first place, so it doesn’t concern me. But it seems like a rather necessary clause for a princess who plans to keep many concubines. Do you agree?”
“…Only if the situation arises where an heir must be produced.”
“You’re telling me to become King of Kalande, yet you’d enjoy the power of a queen consort while shirking your duties? Now that I think about it, there’s only content about divorce and nothing about producing an heir. This isn’t an equal exchange, Crown Princess.”
By then, I would have accomplished all my goals and divorced peacefully, so there would be no need to fulfill such obligations.
I didn’t voice the thought aloud, but it must have shown plainly on my face.
The warmth drained from those wine-colored eyes that had been piercing through her.
As if questioning when she’d started whining like a child, the man’s tone dropped considerably.
“I thought you understood I would give you everything you desired.”
“This is….”
“I want to do whatever you ask of me, for the most part. But my fundamental objective cannot waver. Otherwise, there’s no point to any of this.”
An unfavorable Kairon Winterbark was chilling, as if he were someone else entirely.
That piercing expression, those cold eyes, that tone that struck like arrows at her heart.
The Tyrant from that now-erased future, the one who had demanded her neck as a symbol of reconciliation, must have been exactly like this.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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