Chapter 618: Chapter-618
Heena didn’t bow her head in false modesty. She didn’t blush or stammer out a humble denial. Instead, the corners of her lips curled upward into a sharp, undeniably proud smirk.
"I will take that as the absolute highest compliment, Your Majesty," Heena replied smoothly. "After all, it takes a certain kind of brilliance to survive a den of wolves and come out wearing their fur."
Hovering invisibly near the ceiling, the System peeked out from behind its own digital paws.
It looked at the Emperor—a ruthless, blood-soaked tyrant who had slaughtered his own brothers to seize the throne. Then it looked at Heena—a sociopathic, hyper-pragmatic anomaly who casually poisoned people and manipulated entire military factions before breakfast.
"Oh no," the System whispered telepathically, absolute horror dawning in its pixelated blue eyes. "They are bonding. The two most dangerous, unhinged people in this empire are actually bonding. The capital is doomed."
The Emperor poured himself another cup of the terrible, bitter tea. The amusement on his face slowly began to recede, replaced by the heavy, impenetrable mask of the empire’s supreme ruler. The brief moment of camaraderie was over; it was time for business.
"I told you that I need someone who thinks like a sociopath," the Emperor stated, his voice dropping back into a low, commanding rumble. "Someone who does not care about the so-called ’honor’ of the civil court, and someone who isn’t afraid to get their hands incredibly dirty."
Heena leaned forward, her dark eyes sharpening. "What is the target?"
The Emperor reached inside his plain brown hemp robes. He pulled out a small, tightly rolled scroll sealed with dark, unmarked wax, and slid it across the scarred wooden table.
It stopped right in front of Heena’s fingers.
"The Prime Minister was the head of the civil faction," the Emperor explained, his eyes entirely devoid of warmth. "But he is not the only snake hiding in the grass. There is a massive, highly organized network of corruption running through the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of Rites. They have been siphoning imperial funds meant for the northern border army—your grandfather’s army—for the past three years."
Heena’s jaw imperceptibly tightened. Stealing from the Vanguard troops was a guaranteed death sentence in her eyes.
"My Black Feathers excel at assassination," the Emperor continued, gesturing vaguely to the shadows. "If I give them a name, that person dies before dawn. But I do not just want these corrupt officials dead. If I kill them now, the gold vanishes forever, and the remaining rats simply scatter and hide deeper underground."
He pointed a heavy finger at the sealed scroll.
"I need their ledger. I need the hidden treasury where they are hoarding my silver. And I need someone to politically dismantle their entire network from the inside out, so thoroughly that no one ever dares to steal from my armies again."
The Emperor looked at Heena, his gaze heavy with an unspoken, lethal absolute trust.
"The Vanguard family is my broadsword in the light," the Emperor murmured. "But for this... I need you to be my dagger in the dark. Break the rules. Forge documents. Poison whoever you need to poison. I do not care how you do it, Heena. Just bring me the ledger, and burn their faction to the ground."
Heena looked down at the unmarked scroll. A slow, incredibly dark thrill rushed through her veins.
Without a single word of hesitation, her metal-clad fingers reached out and picked up the scroll. She slipped it securely into her navy blue cloak, looking up at the Emperor with a chilling, predatory smile.
"Consider it done, Your Majesty."
The Emperor burst into laughter, clearly amused by Hina’s blunt question.
He leaned back slightly, his eyes narrowing with a mixture of amusement and interest.
"Challenge me?" he repeated, as though the very thought was entertaining. "You truly believe I would grant someone enough freedom to become a threat without already knowing exactly how powerful they are?"
Hina raised an eyebrow.
The Emperor continued, his smile fading into something more serious.
"The Vanguard family is strong, yes. And you..." His gaze settled on her. "You are certainly troublesome enough to make even the most cautious ruler keep an eye on you."
He paused before adding calmly, "But strength alone does not make someone an enemy of the throne."
Hina crossed her arms. "Then what does?"
The Emperor smiled.
"Ambition."
His answer came so quickly that Hina fell silent.
"Someone who seeks power for themselves will eventually turn their blade toward the person standing above them," the Emperor said. "But someone who already possesses freedom, influence, wealth, and authority has far less reason to risk everything by rebelling."
Hina stared at him for a moment.
Then she muttered, "So you’re basically bribing me with freedom."
The Emperor laughed again.
"Perhaps."
The system immediately chimed in inside Hina’s head.
[Host, congratulations. You have successfully discovered the Emperor’s strategy.]
Hina rolled her eyes.
[System, shut up.]
The Emperor looked at her, his dark eyes steady and entirely devoid of the paranoid fragility that plagued lesser rulers.
"I am not like my ancestors," the Emperor stated calmly, his voice carrying the undeniable gravity of a man who had forged his empire in blood. "Those idiots only cared about their power and their throne. This empire, this throne... it is not a game, Seera. It is not just a chair to sit on. It is the head of the most powerful force in this world, where millions of people look up, putting all their trust in one person to keep them alive."
He poured himself another cup of the cheap tea, his expression hardening.
"Just because one of my subjects is stronger, can protect others better, and is loved by the people, does not mean I will act like a foolish, insecure king and execute them," the Emperor continued. "I know your grandfather swore an oath to the royal family long before I was even born. He swore that if the royal family never betrayed him, he would never betray the crown. And frankly, I do not give a damn about titles, ’dishonor,’ or the paranoid nonsense the civil court spouts."
He leaned forward, the terrifying aura of the Seventh Prince radiating from his very bones. "If thousands of people can live simply because of one capable person, why the fuck would I kill that person just because I am scared they might become better than me? Do not compare me to those idiot, poetry-reading scholars."
Heena looked at him, letting his words settle into the heavy air of the small hotel room.
"Your Majesty," Heena said softly, a genuine spark of respect in her eyes. "That is exactly why I call you my master. But there is still one confession I do not quite believe."
The Emperor raised an eyebrow. "And may I ask what that is?"
"How should I trust you?" Heena asked bluntly.
"A very nice question," the Emperor mused.
"Actually, it is an excellent question," Heena corrected, leaning back and crossing her arms. "After all, just like a chameleon, the throne changes color very fast."
The Emperor’s eyes narrowed slightly. "You are insulting the throne right now."
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