10. I Will Help You Take Back What Is Yours

After touring the castle, Belia entered her room together with Khalid.

The herald gave a sharp glare, silently opposing the idea, but Belia ignored her older brother’s gaze and let him inside.

Rumors? What are they but just rumors? What harm could adding a few more to the ones already spreading do?

“You were quite bold, weren’t you?”

As soon as he entered the room, Khalid, who had completely wiped away the image of the tender lover from before, plopped down into an empty chair and asked.

Belia smiled lightly and sat opposite him, clearly not willing to back down.

“I showed His Highness exactly what he expected.”

He had thought from the start she was no ordinary woman, but he never imagined she would openly kiss him at a welcoming event.

She was definitely no ordinary lady.

Khalid, amused and tempted to tease her a little, laced his fingers and rested his hands on the table with a sly grin.

“By the way, I keep remembering what the princess said earlier.”

Belia pondered for a moment, then, with a playful ‘Ah!’, looked at Khalid with a mischievous gaze.

“Oh my, I didn’t think my words would hurt you.”

“You’re misunderstanding. It’s not that I’m hurt. I just wanted to make sure you understood properly.”

His tone was clearly joking.

Instead of retorting, Belia chose to get straight to the real plan.

“Enough joking. There’s no time for that.”

No time? That sounded very familiar.

Wasn’t that the phrase he often repeated?

“Hmm…”

Bored, Khalid shrugged his shoulders.

“First, I’ll tell you the location of the gold mine. Come to think of it, I feel like I haven’t given you anything yet.”

“You seem to be under a misconception.”

Belia tilted her head at his words and shifted slightly.

“I didn’t accept your proposal just to learn the gold mine’s location, Princess.”

All the women he had met before were desperate to jump into Raul’s bed.

But the woman who was proposed to by him chose to reject Raul’s offer—and of all people, chose Khalid.

This intrigued Khalid enough to accept her proposal. Well, there were plenty of benefits to gain, after all.

“Tell me more about Raul. Why did you decide to refuse his proposal?”

Raul was the empire’s first prince.

The emperor dearly loved his son.

Most believed Raul would be the next emperor.

Raul was the son of the empress and monopolized the emperor’s attention thanks to his mother’s influence.

In contrast, Khalid was the son of the empress’s rival but lacked the emperor’s favor, causing Raul to take everything from him.

Yet Raul envied Khalid’s stronger legitimacy and constantly kept him under watch.

“Do you need a reason to dislike someone?”

“You know what it means to marry the empire’s first prince, don’t you?”

“Exactly why I’m doing this—to create grounds to refuse his proposal.”

“What do you mean by ‘this’?”

“I proposed to His Highness myself.”

Belia stood and moved closer to Khalid seated in the chair.

Then, with a deliberately slow touch, she placed her hand on his shoulder — an unmistakably seductive gesture.

“If you’re really curious, shall we have a deep conversation today?”

“Princess. I’ve been thinking since last time—you should watch your words and actions. Am I not scary enough for you?”

“What’s there to fear? You’ve already decided to be on my side. Isn’t that why you spread rumors around?”

“Kuk.”

As expected.

This princess, innocent-looking as if knowing nothing of the harsh world, kept piquing Khalid’s interest.

Anyone who knew Khalid well would surely be surprised to see him go toe-to-toe without backing down against Princess Belia.

She must not have just one life — how else could she be so fearless?

“Who’s afraid of their own lover?”

Belia said this while sliding her hand down from Khalid’s shoulder and naturally wrapping her arms around him from behind.

Though she had to bend slightly to embrace Khalid seated in the chair, she didn’t mind.

“So now, please listen carefully.”

Belia finished speaking, kissed Khalid lightly on the cheek with a ‘smack’ sound, then returned leisurely to her seat.

Watching her, Khalid covered his eyes with one hand and laughed aloud.

She was certainly an entertaining woman.

“Hahaha. Don’t worry, I’ll keep my promises.”

He had thought she was sharp, but when she laughed like that, somehow her expression softened. It felt a little strange.

But that wasn’t important.

Belia returned to the main topic.

“The first condition of our contract relationship is that I will tell you the location of the gold mine, and in return, Your Highness will make sure Prince Raul’s proposal is called off.”

Belia unfolded a map she had brought beforehand and pointed to a mountain range extending east of the Ronica Kingdom, bordering the Ingot Empire.

That was the area the investigation team was currently stationed.

When Khalid cast a doubtful glance, Belia slowly extended her finger south along the mountains.

Near the desert in the south, where the mountain range was nearly ending.

“Here.”

She showed no hesitation.

“Hmm?”

Khalid was about to speak when Belia moved her finger again.

That wasn’t all.

“And here.”

This time she pointed to a nearby river.

Few people even knew there was a river there, as hardly anyone lived in that area.

“You said gold mine?”

“That’s right. The place I first pointed to is the gold mine. If the underground is surveyed there, gold ore will surely be found.”

“And what about the other place?”

“That’s a river. A very precious spot for placer gold.”

“Placer gold… It’s next to the mine, so not impossible.”

Khalid rubbed his chin, staring intently at the map.

Belia confidently explained the locations. Could what she said really be correct?

“You might find it hard to believe, but I’m certain.”

Seeing Khalid’s doubt, Belia hurried to add more.

“The investigation team, including Prince Raul, is exploring this eastern mountain range near the empire.”

They had detected signals indicating a mine there using magic tools.

But in truth, that was not the actual site.

“I saw among those who came this time some assigned to search for the gold mine.”

“Good eye.”

No wonder she had spent so much time beside Raul.

Her vast knowledge from books and incredibly precise judgment saved Raul from crises countless times.

That was why she was eventually made empress.

Even though Erzera was his true love, Raul couldn’t easily discard Belia because she was too useful.

“Order them to investigate this location.”

Belia’s voice was firm.

Khalid couldn’t fully trust her words but nodded roughly, planning to give the investigation order.

“Prince Raul keeps pressuring me to get engaged. He seems very anxious. It got worse after Your Highness decided to visit the castle.”

“That’s understandable. He’d think he’s about to lose what’s his.”

Belia sneered openly.

“Does he even have anything worth taking?”

To be honest, those were all things Khalid, as prince, should enjoy.

She used to side with Raul when she was his lover, but since the empress’s family was weak, Raul should never have become crown prince or emperor.

But the emperor loved the empress too much and had no feelings for the other.

That extreme difference in affection sealed the fate of Raul and Khalid.

“You’re the legitimate heir, after all.”

If only Raul hadn’t been born first. Otherwise, Khalid could have asserted his legitimacy.

Human hearts are fickle.

When Khalid had wholeheartedly given his heart to Raul, he was glad about that.

But now, it had become a nuisance.

“I intend to help you reclaim what you lost.”

“Princess Belia.”

“That’s also my ultimate goal. So I will never betray you.”

At her firm words, Khalid closed his eyes and pondered for a moment.

Why did she show such hostility toward Raul?

Khalid didn’t like Raul either.

Though they were brothers, Raul had always been favored since childhood.

Whatever Khalid did was expected; whatever Raul did was praised.

When they were young, if the emperor, Khalid, and Raul were together, Khalid often felt like an outsider.

“I’m your son too.”

But the emperor’s gaze and smile were only for Raul.

Watching his half-brother walking hand in hand with the emperor, Khalid quietly followed behind, holding back his feelings.

The emperor spent all his time with the empress, and the palace gardens were filled with their laughter.

The empress stared blankly at them, lost in thought.

One day, amid those miserable days, the empress grabbed young Khalid.

“My son, you must become the emperor.”

“Mother.”

“You must be emperor. I am the empress, and that woman is just a lucky noblewoman. You have the royal bloodline.”

“But father doesn’t like me.”

The empress held Khalid’s shoulder tightly.

Her eyes were filled with madness.

“I am the daughter of Duke Tessa, the empire’s loyalist and leader of the western noble alliance. And I am the empire’s only empress.”

“It hurts, mother.”

“But I will never give that up to her.”

Young Khalid endured the pain and called for his mother, but she was already lost in her own world.

“The emperor’s throne is yours. Do you understand?”

Like brainwashing, the empress repeated her words.

“Therefore, I will not die. I must hold this position. If I die, she will become empress, and Raul will take even the legitimacy you have. I will never allow that.”

But Khalid did not want to be emperor.

He only wished to be loved fully by his parents.

Yet that was the hardest wish of all.

“My son, you must be emperor.”

Young Khalid closed his eyes tightly in the arms of his mad mother.

“Khalid, Your Highness.”

Snapped back from his long thoughts, Khalid quietly opened his eyes at Belia’s voice.

“I will stay by your side and help you reach the highest position.”

“…Is that the condition for me to become your hunting dog for your purpose?”

Hunting dog.

Not a fitting term for a prince.

But in this situation, there was no better word.

Belia closed her eyes, smiling gently as she watched Khalid wipe away his deep thoughts with a chuckle.

“It would be my greatest honor if you would do that. Hehe. If you do…”

You will become emperor, and I will be able to take revenge on him.

At that moment, her eyes sparkled brightly.

“No matter what happens, I will stay by your side.”