Chapter 81
Looking back, Euclid had never once said, with his own mouth, that he wanted to become Crown Prince. It had only been Sylaria’s assumption all along.
If Euclid did not wish for it, she could not force him. But still…
“If not you, then Arendtert will become Crown Prince. And then Emperor. I don’t want to live in an Empire ruled by him.”
Sylaria had no intention of handing the Empire over to Arendtert. She wanted him to meet the end of a loser.
Above all else, Euclid was born to be Emperor.
He possessed the decisiveness to boldly advance their engagement, the leadership to command the entire Order of Holy Knights within the Imperial Palace, and the divine power to erase the ‘Maw’ of Shastir in a single strike.
It was hard to believe he shared blood with that cowardly, greedy man, Arendtert. Euclid was an exceptional being.
In their previous life, for some unknown reason, he had always been wandering outside. But in this one, he had stayed within the palace, hand in hand with her.
So, without realizing it, Sylaria had naturally assumed he would become Emperor.
“Arendtert’s world… Just imagining it is dreadful.”
Euclid gave a faint smile. His gaze lingered on her as he spoke.
“Until now, I’ve never once thought about becoming Crown Prince. To be exact, I’ve never planned for the future or allowed myself to desire anything. Every day was just a struggle to survive.”
With gentle fingers, Euclid brushed back the strands of Sylaria’s hair that had fallen over her face. Running his hand through her soft brown hair, he grew thoughtful as his eyes met hers.
“But now, it’s different. Because you’re with me.”
Euclid’s deep voice lowered to a quiet, resonant timbre. His eyes never left her, as though she was the only thing in his world, the only one that existed in it.
“You gave me a future. Because of you, I no longer have to worry about when my divine power might go out of control. And thanks to you, I’ve managed to strike back at both the Empress and Arendtert.”
As he finished speaking, Euclid’s eyes crinkled with a boyish smile. It seemed he was recalling the day he stood before the Emperor and Empress in audience.
“Thanks to you, my once dull life has become… surprisingly interesting.”
He chuckled softly, but then his expression turned serious again.
“The reason you approached me, or how you knew a ‘Maw’ would open in Shastir… none of that matters to me. As long as you don’t leave me, nothing else matters.”
“Euclid…”
“I told you before. You’re important to me.”
Sylaria’s eyes trembled faintly. When she had first proposed their engagement, she had believed he’d accepted it simply for the sake of purification.
That just as she was using him, he too was using her.
But she had been wrong.
He was sincere. Even knowing she was using him, he had still chosen to give himself to her.
“…Then do as you wish, Euclid. I’ll follow your decision.”
“Truly? Then…”
Euclid raised his eyebrows slightly, the corners of his lips curving into a graceful line.
“With this new life you’ve given me, maybe it’s time I learned what it feels like to want something.”
He reached out and touched the pendant of divine stone that hung around her neck. The gemstone, once crimson as blood, now glowed with only the faintest trace of red—a result of their intense purification.
Euclid gazed silently at the stone, then lifted it to his lips. Pressing a soft kiss to the cold gem, he raised his eyes once more.
“…Shall I try becoming Crown Prince, then?”
At Euclid’s decision, Sylaria finally released the breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. In that moment, she understood. She had been holding her breath all along, waiting for his answer.
Her chest had tightened with tension at his words. It wasn’t merely because she sought revenge. She simply didn’t want him to give up on his own future.
She didn’t want him to live a life of resignation, accepting the schemes of the Empress and Arendtert as inevitable.
Now that she understood Euclid’s heart, all that remained was to continue their plans.
For revenge, and for his future.
All she had to do now was take his hand and move forward with him.
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