"It’s an observation." He bowed. "We’ll continue monitoring the situation. If you change your mind about protection—"
"I won’t. But thank you."
The ssenger left.
Elara sat down at her desk and stared at the notice of the formal dinner.
Three days.
Three days to prepare for an assassination attempt funded by her own father, in a room full of sisters who also wanted her dead, with no obvious protection allowed.
She pulled out fresh paper and started making plans.
**Survival Strategy - Succession Dinner:**
**Option 1:** Identify the assassin before the dinner and eliminate them preemptively
- Problem: Ten thousand gold will attract multiple contractors. Can’t eliminate all.
**Option 2:** Wear hidden armor and defensive enchantnts
- Problem: Formal attire makes concealnt difficult. Magical detection will identify defensive spells.
**Option 3:** Position allies strategically around the dinner venue
- Problem: Limited allies. Beast knights won’t be allowed in the dining hall.
**Option 4:** Don’t eat or drink anything at the dinner
- Problem: Poisons are obvious thod, but not the only one. Assassin might use direct attack.
**Option 5:** Duke Romian
- If he accepts the marriage proposal, his presence at the dinner provides protection
- Problem: His answer cos the sa day as the dinner. Timing is extrely tight.
She studied option five.
The Emperor had scheduled the dinner for the exact day Duke Romian would give his answer. That couldn’t be coincidence.
The test had two parts:
1. Could she survive an assassination attempt?
2. Could she secure powerful enough allies that assassination beca too risky?
If Duke Romian accepted the marriage and attended the dinner as her fiancé, killing her would an making an enemy of the empire’s top military commander. Most assassins wouldn’t take that risk, even for ten thousand gold.
But that only worked if Duke Romian accepted. And attended. And made the engagent public before the assassin struck.
Too many variables. Too much uncertainty.
Elara needed a backup plan.
She pulled out another sheet of paper and started writing a letter.
*Duke Romian,*
*I have reason to believe there will be an assassination attempt against during the succession dinner in three days. The threat level is severe.*
*I am not asking for protection. I’m providing information. If you attend the dinner—regardless of your answer to my marriage proposal—you should be aware of the danger.*
*If you have accepted my proposal, your presence will likely deter the attempt. If you have refused, you may wish to avoid the dinner entirely.*
*Either way, I thought you should know.*
*—Elara*
She sealed it and called for a ssenger. "Deliver this to Duke Romian imdiately. Direct to his hands only."
"Yes, Your Highness."
The ssenger left.
Elara sat back and exhaled slowly.
Three days.
Three days to survive her father’s final test.
Three days to wait for Duke Romian’s answer.
Three days to prepare for a dinner where everyone present—her sisters, the nobles, possibly even the servants—would be watching to see if the Fourth Princess lived or died.
The fox knight appeared at the door. "Your Highness? Are you alright? You look... focused."
"I just learned that my father has been trying to kill as a test, that he’s scheduled a final assassination attempt for the succession dinner, and that my survival depends on factors outside my control." Elara’s voice was completely flat. "So no, I’m not alright. But I’m functional."
The fox knight’s ears went flat. "The Emperor is trying to kill you?"
"As a test. There’s a difference." She stood. "Gather the other knights. We need to discuss security protocols for the succession dinner."
"Your Highness, if the Emperor himself is—"
"If the Emperor wanted dead, I’d already be dead. This is evaluation. He wants to see if I can survive." Elara walked to the door. "So I’m going to survive. Efficiently."
She stepped into the corridor, the fox knight following.
Three days.
Ti to prepare.
---
# Scene 7: Duke Romian’s Investigation
While Elara prepared for the succession dinner, Duke Romian was conducting his own investigation.
He sat in his military office—a austere room in the eastern wing of the palace complex, far from the decorative extravagance of the royal quarters. Maps covered one wall. Weapons hung on another. His desk was organized with military precision.
Across from him sat Captain Marcus Verin, one of his most trusted intelligence officers.
"Report," Duke Romian said.
Marcus opened a folder. "As you requested, Your Grace, I’ve compiled everything we could find on Princess Elara Blackwood’s activities over the past six months."
"Start with Port Crestfall."
"She arrived there six months ago with minimal resources—twenty-five beast knights, a small household staff, and whatever personal funds she’d saved. Within one month, she’d established a comrcial operation called the ’Central Market Supermarket.’"
Duke Romian’s eyebrows rose. "Supermarket?"
"A large-scale retail establishnt selling food and goods at fixed prices. Novel concept—apparently based on ideas from her mother’s research notes." Marcus flipped a page. "Initial revenue was modest, but within three months she was generating substantial profit."
"How substantial?"
"Conservative estimates put monthly revenue around fifteen thousand gold. After expenses, probably clearing six to seven thousand in profit."
Duke Romian went still. "Seven thousand gold monthly? From one business?"
"Yes, Your Grace. And that’s not including her secondary operation—a beverage distribution network. So kind of carbonated drink she developed herself. That’s generating another three thousand monthly."
"So she’s personally earning ten thousand gold per month."
"At minimum. Possibly more—our sources suggest she’s expanded into other ventures we haven’t fully docunted."
Duke Romian leaned back in his chair. Ten thousand gold monthly. Most nobles lived on annual budgets smaller than that. The princess had built a comrcial empire in six months that outearned so duchies.
"Continue," he said.
"Her business practices are... aggressive. She destroyed three local nobles who opposed her operations."
"Destroyed?"
"Baron Kessler—forced to sign over all properties and flee the city. rchant Lord Carver—sa outco, left within a week. Viscount Marrs—reached so kind of arrangent, details unclear, but she withdrew all opposition imdiately."
Marcus pulled out another docunt.
"She also runs a double agent operation. One of her household staff is actually a spy planted by another princess—we believe Third Princess Mingzhu. Princess Elara identified the spy, turned her, and has been feeding false intelligence back through the network."
Duke Romian smiled slightly. "Smart."
"Very. She’s also contracted the Shadow Guild for multiple services—intelligence gathering, asset protection, and family extraction for the double agent. That’s not cheap."
"How is she funding all this?"
"The businesses generate enough revenue to be self-sustaining. She’s operating completely independently of palace funds." Marcus hesitated. "Your Grace... there’s more."
"Go on."
"We sent agents to interview people who’ve worked with her. rchants, employees, local officials. The consistent description is... unusual."
"Elaborate."
"Everyone says she’s brilliant. Practical. Fair in business dealings. But also completely emotionless." Marcus read from his notes: "’She fired a corrupt steward and had him permanently maid without any visible anger.’ ’She executed captured assassins like she was reviewing inventory.’ ’She negotiated a major trade deal while eating breakfast—no stress, no excitent, just efficiency.’"
"She doesn’t feel emotions?"
"Several sources used that exact phrasing—that the princess seems unable to feel emotions the way normal people do. She recognizes them in others and responds appropriately, but doesn’t experience them herself."
User Comments
0 comments from readers