Chapter 14

Chapter 14

He was more disappointed in this princess—the first princess he’d ever met—than he could have expected. Why on earth did he feel such disappointment when he had never expected anything from any imperial princess in the first place?

Mikael was confused. Eve noticed the dissatisfaction in Mikael’s eyes as well, and it made her worried. She quickly explained, “I understand your distrust—I’m a member of the imperial family, after all. But please believe me. I’m not here because I want a personal knight to treat as a slave just like my other family members.”

“Then why are you here?”

“I need you, Mikael, and desperately at that. Maybe I should be more clear. I don’t want a personal knight unless it’s you.”

“...Why?”

“You’re the one I need, Mikaelis Agnito.”

“...”

Eve’s sincerity was finally getting through to him.

“Why do you want to appoint me as your personal knight?”

“That, I’m afraid, is a secret I cannot disclose to you right now. I do swear to tell you, however, once you are my personal knight.”

“Then what is there that you can tell me now?”

“I can tell you that you matter to me, Mikael, and that I will—to the best of my ability—show you all the respect you deserve as a knight. In particular, I will never force any humiliating task or role upon you by invoking the power of the imprint. All this I swear on my name and honor.”

“Promises mean nothing,” Mikael said flatly.

Eve realized she had nothing to say to this. Mikael had a point. There was nothing binding in Eve’s promise. She could potentially offer him a magical contract of sorts, but it would be voided as soon as the master-servant relationship was formed via the imprint ritual. The imprint ritual was an unbreakable magical contract that superseded all else. It was also the most unfair contract she knew of because it forced a completely one-sided relationship onto the one being imprinted. It would have been ridiculous, now that she thought of it, for Mikael to have taken her at her word under such circumstances.

Eve’s shoulders drooped. She could think of nothing else to say.

“I’m sorry. The best I can do is ask that you trust me.”

“Of course it is,”

Mikael replied, unimpressed. Eve felt defeated, but then Mikael asked her a different question.

“Tell me something, Seventh Princess. It doesn’t really matter what I want anyway, right?”

“What?”

“The imprint is like a tattoo that we cannot change, and also cannot refuse. I could try and reject it, but with enough control on your part, I’d be overpowered.”

“No. I must receive your agreement first. Otherwise I would be forcing it on you.”

“That surprises me on so many levels.”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s surprising that you sound like you care about what I want, and shocking that you seem to think you can imprint me as long as you have my consent.”

“Ah,” Eve said, realizing how her words sounded to him.

“That’s some confidence you have. You believe you can imprint me when even the emperor failed to do so?”

“...”

Mikael smirked at her. Eve couldn’t be sure if he wanted to provoke her anger or simply challenge her to try. Ever responded honestly, but phrased her words carefully.

“Mikael, I think I can as long as you truly don’t resist with all your might.”

There was no arrogance in her voice. Eve had actually been born with a level of alchemic talent and control far above those of the other members of the imperial family. Not only that, but the current Eve had retained her experience from her previous life. Her plan to try and imprint Mikael was never a matter of just trusting luck.

“Interesting. I have a feeling you could actually succeed.”

Mikael was truly impressed by Eve’s confidence.

Eve quickly added as if she’d just remembered, “And please don’t take this the wrong way. I did not ask for your permission because I thought you might refuse and make it more difficult for me. It’s because I don’t want to force anything on you. And I truly mean it.”

“All right. I believe you.”

“Do you really?”

“As I said, I believe you.”

“Phew, I guess you’re not as twisted as I thought you’d be. What a relief.”

“What?”

An odd look appeared on his face as he tried to figure out if this was an insult or a compliment. Eve ignored this and raised the hem of her dress slightly. She curtsied as though she were requesting a dance.

“Please, would you become my personal knight, Mikael?”

“...”

Mikael stared at Eve. His purple eyes were calculating. After the silence had gone on for some time, Mikael spat out, “I detest the imperial family.”

Mikael’s purple eyes burned with a desire to kill when the words “imperial family” touched his lips. Eve trembled slightly, unprepared for his suddenly ferocious gaze. Mikael saw her fright and immediately looked away. He felt bad that he had scared her, but then was confused why he felt bad. It wasn’t like him to be so soft toward a member of the imperial family.

What’s wrong with me?

Mikael adopted an even colder tone to hide his bewilderment.

“Princess, no matter how different you claim to be from the others, you are still of that vile bloodline. To me, you are no different.”

“I... am aware of that.”

Eve’s voice sounded a little choked up. Though she had known he’d feel this way, hearing the words aloud still hurt.

Mikael continued, “An imprint may be powerful and all-governing, but it can’t control all my emotions. You’re asking me to offer loyalty and dedication to a member of the family I despise. Do you realize how unethical such an arrangement would be?”

“I know that I am not in a position to ask for your loyalty or commitment. I promise not to try and alter or dismiss your feelings. All I need from you is to be my personal knight in name only and carry out the bare minimum in duties. I won’t ask for anything beyond that, I promise.”

“Only in name? You are an imperial princess, for goodness sake. I don’t understand why you’re promising such an unbeneficial relationship for yourself.”

She could give no further explanation to Mikael at present. She couldn’t inform him that he would soon awaken as a king of the homunculi, capable of exercising control over all of his kind, or that Eve’s goal in this second life was the throne itself. It was too early to speak of such things.

Mikael seemed unwilling to let go of the topic until he had an answer he could understand. He pestered her with more questions by hypothesizing.

“A normal member of your family would be unwilling to take on a homunculus who hates imperial blood like I do. And yet you persist in trying to get me to accept. Perhaps you are of that predilection...”

“Huh? What predilection?”

“You know the sort. They gain pleasure from dominating a resistant target...”

“Excuse me, but I am no pervert.”

“You’re not?”

“No!” said Eve firmly.

Mikael did not seem to be fully convinced. There had been quite a few lascivious individuals in the family, so this suspicion was understandable. If anyone was to be blamed, it was her own family.

Eve sighed, “Mikael, I’ll explain everything to you later. I promise it will all make sense.”

“You mean after I’ve become your personal knight?”

“Yes, if you choose to become my personal knight.”

Eve reached out her hand, not in the fashion of a regal courtesy, but as a friend.

“...”

Mikael stared at Eve’s hand for a long time. It was so white that it almost seemed to glow. It looked very warm and soft. This cavern had no natural light, but he had a brief impression that light was falling on Eve—maybe that was why he suddenly felt the urge to take her hand. Mikael was transfixed. Something in his throat felt stuck, and he tried to swallow, but his mouth had gone dry.

No. She is of imperial blood. I can’t fall for this.

He would not be deceived by this strange savior-like facade. A fierce internal struggle ensued,

but Eve’s next words ended his conflict.

“Let’s get out of here, Mikael.”

“...”

Mikael caught his breath. He was frozen in place as if time itself had stopped, staring at Eve’s outstretched hand.

“Mikael?”

Eve asked, puzzled. Mikael’s handsome features contorted with frustration.

“To serve the imperial family... I could never...”

“...”

But...”

“...”

“This could be the only way to leave here...”

He looked up at Eve. His voice was that of a tortured soul.

“I want to get out of here. Shackle me with an imprint. Just please get me out of here.”

“...”

He’d endured three years in the floating prison. Mikael’s loneliness was even greater than his hatred for the ruling family. He was desperate to see the outside world.

Mikael’s hands were trembling—those hands that had likely scratched at the metal floor over and over for something, anything to grab on to.

Eve did not wait any longer.

She crouched lower to make eye contact and wrapped her hands around Mikael’s.

“Yes, Let’s get out of here.”

A soothing light emanated from her soft hands, warmth flowing from them and filling Mikael’s body.