Two days passed before we finally arrived at the capital. The sight that greeted us was of anxious people lining the streets, their unease palpable. It was unusual, the silence that hung heavily in the air. We quickly caught their attention as we approached, their eyes growing wide with a mixture of relief and awe. They stepped aside hastily, bowing deeply with each step our horses took, their heads low in submission. The expressions on their faces revealed their sense of relief, as if a heavy burden had finally been lifted from their shoulders, their earlier worries melting away. The city, usually filled with the buzz of activity, was now eerily quiet, and the only sound that broke the silence was the steady clatter of our horses' hooves on the cobblestone streets.

As we reached the palace gates, the knights standing guard appeared visibly startled. Their surprise was evident, but they quickly regained composure, moving swiftly to open the massive gates. They bowed deeply as we passed through, the weight of our presence imposing. We rode in silence, still mounted on our horses, the grandeur of the palace looming ahead. The stillness inside the palace grounds was broken when a few maidservants noticed our arrival. Chaos ensued as they hurriedly lined up along the grand pathway, their movements frantic as they arranged themselves. Immediately, they lowered their heads in deep bows, their synchronized greeting a sign of their respect and gratitude for our return. The depth of their bows spoke volumes, as if they were thankful that a storm had passed.

Isaac was the first to dismount from his horse, his movements graceful yet purposeful. He approached me swiftly, his hands finding their place on my waist as he effortlessly lifted me down from my horse. A shiver ran down my spine as he subtly squeezed my waist, a brief yet undeniable touch that left me momentarily breathless. I bit my lip, suppressing the unexpected jolt that coursed through me. With a calm demeanor, he guided me forward, his hand still resting lightly on my back as we walked toward the palace doors.

As we made our way inside, we were greeted by Henry, his face showing visible relief. He bowed deeply before us. "We are happy for your return, Your Majesty," he said sincerely, his voice steady and composed, though there was an underlying tension in his tone.

Isaac acknowledged him with a curt nod, his face unreadable. We continued walking, the atmosphere growing more serious. "How have things been in our absence, Henry?" Isaac inquired, his voice low and commanding, his eyes sharp as he waited for the response.

"Your Majesty, several commoners have been found dead in the capital," Henry replied solemnly. We stopped in our tracks at the gravity of his words. After a brief pause, we resumed walking, though the weight of his statement lingered in the air. So, they’re eager to provoke war? How utterly pathetic, I thought, my mind racing with the implications. "The knights have increased their vigilance, and we’ve recruited new members to strengthen their ranks," Henry continued, his voice steady as he delivered the report. We listened in silence, absorbing every detail.

"As for the officials who fled, they were found dead," he added, his words hanging heavily in the air. I furrowed my brow in thought. So, they’re already dead? Perhaps the enemies took care of them. Fools. Those officials truly believed that the enemy would show them mercy, but now look at them—they’re all gone, their fates sealed by their misplaced trust.

"The citizens are becoming increasingly concerned, Your Majesty," Henry said, his tone laced with worry. It was clear that the unrest was spreading, and the tension in the capital was only growing. The signs were all there. Now, we would have to wait for the Emperor’s decision.

"Is that all?" Isaac finally asked, his voice calm but authoritative. "Yes, Your Majesty," Henry replied, his head bowed, awaiting further instruction. Isaac said nothing more, his expression hardening, as if deep in thought.

We reached the door to my chamber, and I turned to Isaac. "I’ll take my leave now," I said softly, my voice steady but carrying an underlying exhaustion. His expression remained serious as he nodded in acknowledgment.

"Rest for a while, Isaac," I added, offering a small gesture of care before stepping inside my chamber, leaving him standing at the doorway, his eyes following me as the door closed behind me.

I sighed deeply. The government is truly complicated. It feels as though it never grants you the right to rest, always demanding more.

Exhausted, I collapsed onto the bed, but I quickly sat up when the door suddenly banged open. "Your Majesty!" I immediately looked up at the person who had just entered. She rushed toward me, falling to her knees with a thud. "Your Majesty!" she repeated, her voice trembling as she began to sob. Her face was lit with a mixture of overwhelming joy and tears. Her actions showed how deeply she cared for me, her emotions raw and unguarded.

A smile crept onto my lips. Sarah has always had a pure heart, and she is unfailingly loyal to me. I truly appreciate her sincerity.

I stood up and walked over to her, reaching out gently. "Hush now, Sarah. I’m here," I said softly, my voice gentle as I tried to calm her. She sniffled, frantically wiping away the tears that continued to stream down her face, though it was clear she couldn’t hold them back.

"Your Majesty, akala ko hindi na kita makikita pa," she confessed, her voice thick with emotion, eyes filled with a mixture of relief and pain as she looked up at me. I wiped her tears away with my thumb, chuckling softly to lift her spirits. "Your Majesty is strong, how could you ever think such a thing?" I teased lightly, hoping to erase the sadness in her heart.

Her trembling lips managed a shaky laugh. "Your Majesty, maaari ba kitang mayakap?" she asked, her voice hesitant, as if unsure whether her request was appropriate. I nodded several times in response, a reassuring smile on my face. Her expression brightened despite her tears, and without hesitation, she embraced me tightly. I let out a small laugh as I gently patted her back, offering her the comfort she so desperately sought.

After a few moments, her sobs subsided, and the tension in her body eased. She slowly pulled away, wiping the remaining tears from her eyes. With renewed composure, she returned to her duties, serving me as diligently as ever, her loyalty and care evident in every action.

The next day, the unexpected happened. Sarah rushed into my chamber, breathless, urging me to witness the unfolding events. Now, I stood behind them, observing in silence. Consort Anastasia was on her knees, her form trembling, while Isaac towered above her with an unreadable expression. We were gathered in the grand pathway of the palace, and it seemed Isaac had just returned from outside, his clothes still bearing traces of travel.

"Your Majesty! Please believe me!" Anastasia begged, her voice filled with anguish. The bandage on her head still clearly visible, a reminder of her recent injury. She was a pitiful sight, but her voice was desperate and pleading, as though trying to hold on to a sliver of hope.

"Your Majesty, I admit my guilt. I was swept away by my emotions," she continued, her voice cracking as she spoke. "I was deceived by my father. He used me for his own selfish desires. I love my father, and all I wanted was to make him proud," she sobbed, her shoulders shaking with the weight of her confession. "But I am only his adopted daughter," a murmur of shock rippled through the crowd, and I, too, raised an eyebrow in surprise. So, she wasn’t the Count’s real daughter after all? That certainly explained a lot. The Count had a hidden agenda against the Empire, and he used Anastasia as a pawn, knowing how vulnerable his adopted daughter was to his manipulation. As for Anastasia, I could see the tragic truth in her situation: when you love someone deeply, you’re willing to do anything to make them happy, even if it means doing something wrong. How pathetic.

"And as for Her Majesty," Anastasia continued, her voice dropping to a near-whisper, "it was all part of their plan. Lilieth and my father asked me to set up Her Majesty. I acted out of jealousy, but I didn’t know they had other intentions," her words trailed off, barely audible.

Isaac’s jaw clenched visibly. "You claim you didn’t know of their dark intentions, but you speak as if you had knowledge of it," he said, his voice laced with suspicion. His words cut through the air like a blade, sharp and authoritative, leaving no room for doubt.

Anastasia hesitated, her mouth opening and closing as if searching for the right words. After a few seconds of silence, she finally spoke, her voice trembling. "The truth is... I overheard them talking. And I only went along with it because... I was jealous," she admitted, her words dripping with guilt and uncertainty. It was clear she was walking a fine line, trying to balance her confession with an appeal for sympathy.

Slowly, she lifted her gaze to meet Isaac’s cold eyes. "Your Majesty, I am your consort, but you have forgotten me! You have given all your attention to Her Majesty, and what about me? I love you so much, but why can’t you love me back?!" she cried, her voice rising in pitch, filled with desperation. Now, she was shifting the blame onto the Emperor, trying to make herself appear as the victim. How clever of her, but also how transparent.

"Lady Anastasia, you have sinned, and nothing will change that," Isaac replied, his voice emotionless. He didn’t even acknowledge her feelings. I couldn’t help but smirk. Look at you now, Anastasia. You confessed your sins, hoping for mercy, but nothing has changed. You will still pay the price for your actions.

I bit my lip to stifle a laugh. Of course, I had suspected something like this would happen. I knew she was plotting something on that day, but I was always one step ahead. After all, I’m the best player in the very game she tried to create. Now, she’ll be removed from this place, once and for all.

Isaac’s voice boomed like thunder, echoing through the grand pathway as he spoke his next words. "Now choose: you will either take your own life or rot in the dungeons," his cold ultimatum sent a shockwave through the crowd. My eyes widened in disbelief, and I could hear the gasps of the maidservants around us. Anastasia seemed frozen, unable to comprehend the gravity of what he had just said.

Damn. There was no denying it now—he truly was a tyrant. Perhaps this had been his plan all along. He had taken Anastasia in as a concubine not because of love or affection, but because he knew he could extract valuable information from her, just as he had done with Lilieth. The most cunning person in all of this was none other than the Emperor himself. He had simply waited, patiently, for their true nature to reveal itself.

"Y-Your Majesty?" Anastasia stammered, her eyes wide with fear. The weight of his words still hadn’t fully registered in her mind.

"Don’t make me repeat myself, Lady Anastasia," Isaac said coldly, his expression growing even more unreadable, as though he had completely detached himself from the situation.

Anastasia gasped and immediately bowed her head, nearly pressing her face to the ground in submission. "Your Majesty, please! Forgive me! I swear I’ll never make such a foolish mistake again!" she cried, her voice trembling with fear as she begged for mercy. Her desperation was almost tangible, her words soaked in terror.

I crossed my arms over my chest, watching her with a sense of disgust. How utterly pathetic. Even now, she clung to hope, as though she still believed she could somehow escape her fate. Her persistence was as pitiful as it was futile.

Isaac stood motionless, his cold gaze never leaving Anastasia, while the rest of us waited in tense silence for his final decision.

Everyone watching gasped in unison when Isaac abruptly drew his sword, the blade gleaming menacingly as he pointed it straight at Anastasia. "Your Majesty!" Anastasia cried out in panic, stumbling backward, her face a mask of terror. "Spare me! Your Majesty, I can't die!" she pleaded, her voice breaking, her body trembling uncontrollably. Her sobs and desperate pleas filled the air, the only sound that echoed in the grand pathway.

The crowd had barely recovered from their initial shock when Isaac lowered his sword, but the tension in the air remained thick. Anastasia's sobs were uncontrollable now, her face pale and streaked with tears. She was trembling like a leaf in the wind, clinging desperately to whatever hope she still had. Yet Isaac, ever composed, showed no mercy in his expression, his eyes cold and calculating.

"Your Majesty, please! I’m begging you!" Anastasia's voice cracked, her cries echoing louder as she tried to retreat. But her strength had already left her, and she stumbled to the ground. The knights moved in, their grip firm as they seized her arms and pulled her up. She fought weakly, thrashing in vain, but they dragged her away, her desperate screams still hanging in the air like a haunting melody of defeat.

I watched as the scene unfolded, the corners of my lips twitching with the need to laugh at her pitiful state. My gaze followed Anastasia's retreat until she was no longer in sight, the hallway swallowing her and her pleas. A twisted satisfaction washed over me, knowing this would be her end. Damn, I thought to myself, that was almost too easy.

But the satisfaction was short-lived. When I turned my head back to Isaac, I found his eyes already locked on mine, intense and unwavering. His stare was sharp, as though he could see right through me. My heart stuttered, and I fought the urge to flinch. He began to walk towards me, each step deliberate, his tall figure casting a long shadow over the polished floor. I had to steel myself, forcing my features into a neutral expression, but my mind raced. What was he thinking?

He stopped right in front of me, towering over me with an air of authority that made it hard to breathe. "You seemed entertained, wife," he said, his voice carrying a note of amusement, though his eyes were far from playful. I bit my lower lip, shaking my head as if to deny it, though I knew I had been caught.

His brow arched, doubt clear in his gaze. "Tell me," he continued, his tone shifting to something more serious, "did you know about their plans against you?" his words sliced through the air, his suspicion clear. For a moment, I was struck silent. How did he figure that out? My mind raced for an explanation. Muntik na akong maglaho sa mundong ito—how could I confess that I knew something without incriminating myself?

Clearing my throat, I attempted a half-hearted response. "Well, I might have had... a hint?" I said cautiously, my voice faltering. I watched his face carefully, hoping he would take my vague answer as enough.

His response was swift and unexpected. He flicked my forehead, not harshly, but enough to make me flinch in surprise. "Don't risk your life again, wife," he scolded, his tone filled with an unexpected sternness. His voice had the edge of authority, yet there was something else—something like concern? "You knew something, and yet you did nothing. You almost fooled everyone into thinking you had no idea what was going on. Unbelievable." His expression was unreadable, but his words carried weight, pressing down on me like a heavy cloak.

I pouted slightly, folding my arms across my chest, trying to recover from his reprimand. "Just thank me, Isaac," I retorted, my tone defensive. "You couldn’t have imprisoned Anastasia on mere suspicion. You needed more. Thanks to me, she confessed to everything herself," I reasoned, trying to make it seem like I had been in control the entire time, even if it was far from the truth.

He raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed with my explanation. "My wife is becoming demanding," he mused aloud, his voice dripping with dry sarcasm. I blinked at him in disbelief—demanding? He should be grateful!

Straightening up, I placed my hands firmly on my hips and shot him a glare. Isaac sighed, a long-suffering expression crossing his face. "Alright, alright," he relented, "I’m grateful," he admitted, though his voice carried a tone of reluctant surrender. But then his expression softened, and his next words were sincere. "But not for the way you risked your life."

His serious demeanor only lasted a moment before a sly grin curled at the corner of his lips. His eyes glinted mischievously, and I felt a shiver run down my spine as his gaze became almost playful. "Now," he began, his voice dropping low, "what should I offer as my gratitude?" His hand rested casually on his waist, the other gently stroking his jaw, as though deep in thought. He looked away dramatically, as if pondering the question with great care, but I knew that look all too well—he was up to something.

The smirk that followed confirmed my suspicion. Before I could even think to react, Isaac moved in a blur, lifting me off my feet and tossing me over his shoulder like I weighed nothing. "Isaac!" I screamed, my heart racing as I flailed, completely caught off guard. My cheeks flushed with a mix of embarrassment and panic as I dangled helplessly over his broad shoulder.

He started walking as if nothing was out of the ordinary. "Behave, wife," he called out, amusement lacing his tone. "Save your screams for later," his voice had a teasing edge, and I could feel my face growing hotter at his insinuation.

My eyes widened in shock, and I was at a loss for words. Is this... his naughty side? I thought, incredulous. Isaac, the composed and powerful Emperor, had a playful, mischievous side like this?

Damn, I thought to myself, still trying to wrap my mind around it, unbelievable.

A/N: Ito talaga ang pinakamahirap na sinusulat ko, goodness! Dumudugo utak koTvT