The World Is Mine For The Taking

Chapter 492 - 79 - The Current State Of The Milham Kingdom (3)

princess myrcella’s eyes widened, suspicion sharp and immediate as my demand hung heavy in the air. her lips parted slightly, but no words came at first, as if the sheer absurdity of what i’d just said left her momentarily stunned.

"you... want me to make you the king?" she asked, her voice steady but laced with disbelief, as though daring me to confirm her worst assumption.

her reaction? expected.

most people, when asking for something, knew to keep their demands within reason. sure, there were those bold enough to push the envelope, even teeter on the edge of absurdity. but what i’d just proposed? it was beyond outrageous—it bordered on a goddamn fantasy. the kind of thing that would get someone thrown out of a negotiation, if not out of a window.

"you’re not joking, are you?" she asked again, her voice softer now, but no less cutting.

"i’m not," i replied, meeting her gaze head-on. "i don’t joke about matters like this. the only way you’ll have my cooperation is by making me the king."nôv(el)b\\jnn

her expression faltered. for a split second, i saw the raw frustration bubbling beneath the surface. she clenched her jaw, lips pressing into a tight line. her fingers twitched—she wanted to scratch at her scalp, rake her nails through her carefully styled hair. but she didn’t. a princess didn’t lose her composure. not in public. not even when faced with something this absurd.

"this..." she began, her voice measured, almost too calm. "this is far more ridiculous than what i suggested earlier. offering you my body, that is." she shook her head, a faint, bitter smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "i can’t believe i’m saying this, but i’d rather strip myself bare than entertain such a demand. what you’re asking... it’s like handing over half the kingdom. and that’s not something i can do. only members of the royal family can rule."

her point was fair. monarchies didn’t just let anyone take the throne. unless, of course, someone married in—like the king once did, merging bloodlines and sealing political deals in silk sheets.

"wait," she said suddenly, her gaze sharpening. "are you implying i should marry you?"

i smiled, but it wasn’t a kind one. "no, princess. i’m not suggesting marriage. i don’t need a crown or a throne. i’m not interested in playing dress-up for the court. what i want is control. you keep the title, the pomp, and the pageantry. you’ll still smile for the crowds and wave from balconies. but behind the scenes?" i leaned in slightly, my voice dropping to a near-whisper. "i call the shots. you rule in name. i rule in truth."

her face paled. her hands, folded neatly in front of her, clenched tighter, the knuckles turning white. "you’re asking for something impossible, sir faust. no royal could ever agree to that. to give you such power would be to surrender the kingdom itself. i would be nothing but a puppet."

she wasn’t wrong. her reasoning was sound, and i wasn’t about to argue. what i was asking for was the equivalent of handing over the kingdom on a silver platter. it was a betrayal wrapped in velvet, disguised as a favor.

"i’m sorry, sir faust," she said, rising to her feet. her movements were fluid, every step calculated and deliberate. "your offer, tempting as it may be, is unacceptable. this conversation is over."

she turned, the soft rustle of her clothes the only sound in the balcony.

"wait," i called after her, voice firm but calm.

she paused but didn’t look back.

"you and i both know that money alone won’t save this kingdom," i said, watching her carefully. "you didn’t come here just to ask for funds. there’s something else you need, isn’t there?"

he didn’t ask for gold or land. no. he demanded power. the right to rule in the shadows. he wanted to be the true king while i played the part of a figurehead. discover exclusive content at empire

it was impossible.

agreeing to such terms would mean surrendering everything. i would become nothing more than a puppet, dancing on strings he controlled. the thought alone made my skin crawl.

which was why i had no choice but to end this conversation before it spiraled into something beyond my control. letting someone else rule the kingdom from the shadows? unthinkable. it wasn’t just a risk—it was a guaranteed disaster waiting to happen. i couldn’t afford to play a game where the stakes were this high. deep down, though, i knew the truth: nothing good could ever come from a deal like that.

but as i turned to leave, his voice cut through the air like a whip—calm, controlled, and dripping with a confidence that dared you to ignore it.

"you and i both know that money alone won’t save this kingdom. you didn’t come here just to ask for funds. there’s something else you need, isn’t there?"

i froze mid-step, my pulse hammering in my ears. slowly, i turned back to face him.

his long, white hair fell over his shoulders, brushing his back. his eyes—crimson, like freshly spilled blood—glowed in the dim light. his features were sharp, almost too perfect, like something carved from marble. but instead of quickening my heart, it sent a shiver down my spine.

and he was right.

i knew exactly what he meant. money? it was just a means. but what i truly needed... what i had really come here for... was something far more dangerous.

"you need power," he said, his voice smooth, almost taunting.

i swallowed hard.

when i came here tonight, i had two goals. simple, on the surface: convince him to keep his company from expanding beyond milham’s borders and secure his help in defending the kingdom from the empire’s looming threat. sure, money was part of the equation—but it was never the whole solution. not for what i was planning.

i needed him. his power.

i’d seen it firsthand. the things he could do... no one else could match him. the magic knights were strong, but if i overthrew my father, they would turn on me. they wouldn’t follow someone who staged a coup, no matter the reason.

but he could.

i hated how badly i needed him.

"i’ll give you what you want," he said, leaning back like this was some casual negotiation and not a life-or-death pact. his crimson eyes locked onto mine, unflinching. "but only if you make my terms happen."