*Did I...get tricked?*
Leon stood at the gates of the Royal Palace, holding the small gift Princess had given to Anna. He had refused the royal carriage that could have taken him home and felt his emotions were incredibly complex while the night wind blew around him.
*That cunning woman...*
All the questions he had initially raised, such as the vast cognitive differences, the busyness of both their work, the troubles brought by his princely identity, and that she truly desired the Ryan Family rather than himself... none of these issues, the real reasons that made him want to reject this marriage, seemed to have been addressed in the end.
Even though the situation had not changed a bit from before, he not only failed to call off the marriage, but had also found himself firmly committed by her. Carelessly, he promised not to blame her, not to abandon her, to give her a chance, and never be the first to suggest breaking off the engagement.
Had he not retained some part of his sanity at the critical moment, he might have even set the wedding date on the spot, getting utterly ensnared by the cunning Princess.
Yet strangely, even knowing he'd been thoroughly duped, whenever he thought of the Princess's gentle words, her sleeve wrapped around him, and those eyes filled, at least seemingly filled, with him, he just couldn't get angry at her no matter what...
After cursing himself internally for being weak, Leon sighed, feeling both his demeanor and mood become increasingly complex, as he descended the steps.
*Phew... looks like Leon won't attempt to call off the engagement again anytime soon.*
As Leon reluctantly admitted to the failure of calling off the engagement, he descended the steps gloomily... or not quite so gloomily, for a certain master strategist, who was glancing over from the balcony, couldn't help but let out a long sigh of relief.
*Those who seek status often value face highly, so giving proper respect first usually influences their attitude; those who want power are more practical, requiring immediate benefits to reach consensus; those who crave wealth are realistic, but if you present a promising vision, they'd even accept empty promises. The hardest to deal with, however, are those who want nothing at all.*
Fishing requires bait, but Leon neither wanted status, power, nor wealth, and to him, even her identity as a princess was somewhat of a burden.
So if he had adamantly insisted on breaking the engagement no matter what, she would indeed have been helpless, only able to watch this big fish slip away, waving its tail before returning to the sea.
Fortunately, to propel Leon to the position of Duke of Lionheart, she had done extensive research and understanding, which allowed her to barely grasp his weakness...
*A soft heart, coupled with inadequate thick skin.*
Even when fully determined to break off the engagement, his character would not allow him to speak harsh words, providing her with room to maneuver and pull. This even let her actively display goodwill, making direct rejection difficult for him, stabilizing the situation.
Then, by proactively revealing her bottom line and stating that he was her only choice while appearing helpless and weak, making "actively breaking the engagement" seem a guilt-ridden choice, Leon, given his nature, would surely find it impossible to voice it.
*What a despicable woman I am...*
Watching Leon's figure fade into the distance, the Princess on the balcony stayed silent for a moment, a slight apology reflected in her shining eyes.
*But even with various ulterior motives, every word I just said was true. Marrying you indeed is my best choice, possibly my only choice, because only the marriage with you has the power to change the Kingdom.*
*Six years ago, I arrived a step too late and couldn't save those who died in the war, their figures consumed in the flickering orange flames have since become recurring nightmares, torturing me night after night.*
*And if I were to take a step too late six years from now and miss my chance to change the Kingdom, a far more painful nightmare would surely descend again, given the Kingdom's current state.*
*Maybe it's selfish, but I really don't want to regret it again!*
Watching as Leon gradually disappeared, his silhouette swallowed by the night, the Princess let out a gentle sigh before departing the balcony. She returned to her desk, opening unfinished documents.
On a shelf behind the Princess, an old half-shattered tin doll silently watched her figure as she worked at her desk, a slightly sorrowful, eerie smile on its face.
"The Duke of Lionheart's Night Visit to the Royal Palace, A Fortunate Event Approaching?"
"A Historic Private Meeting, Princess's Faction to Seize Power!"
"Beauty or Power? The Love Affair Between Lion and Robin!"
"Shocking! Night Tryst Between Duke of Lionheart and the Princess, Could They Be Planning a Marriage of Convenience with a Child?"
"Gentlemen, those who have come here must already be aware of the news."
A man in a brown suit leaned over a table covered with newspapers, their headlines varied but all concerning the same event, and spoke with furrowed brows,
"I won't waste words. The reason for calling you here is to discuss one thing—what are your plans for this fool of a duke, who boldly proclaims he's offering the entire Ryan Family as a dowry to marry the Princess?"
*What do we plan to do? Isn't the question what can we do?*
Amongst the Old Nobility invited, after exchanging glances for some time, an elderly Earl with a head full of white hair stood up, indignantly suggesting,
"Of course, he must be deposed!
Seven of the Kingdom's seventeen main departments are already controlled by the royal family. If the Ryan Family's Department of Road Administration and Military are also handed over, then more than half the departments will be under her command! Moreover, with the Ryan Family holding a vice-presidential seat in the Upper House, even if we join forces with the Lower House, we might still be unable to contend with the Princess! So, we must depose him! If that fool remains seated as Duke, what does the future hold for us? Do we just live at the mercy of others?"
"But the question remains, how to depose him? And who is to carry it out?"
After the elderly Earl finished speaking, another noble beside him sighed and said,
"After the Ryan Blood Night, nearly everyone eligible in the Ryan Family to stand up is gone, leaving only an old patriarch who never had real power and maybe a barely elected head of the family. But during the new Duke's ascension ritual, the former Duke's butler suffered a heart attack, the only remaining patriarch had a stroke out of anger, and the newly elected family head was so frightened by the Duke of Lionheart slapping the Prince that he fell gravely ill and has yet to recover. There's no one left in the Ryan Family to stand up."