Chapter 1 (2/2)

The princess smiled as she stroked her precious pink hair.

“Drinking blood doesn’t quench your thirst. You must have realized that a long time ago.”

This time, Kael’s face hardened.

Everyone knew that he was under a curse.

He didn’t really know if it was a curse that was passed down from generation to generation in his family.

However, the fact that drinking blood did not quench his thirst was true. And it was a secret only known to a few.

‘How does the abandoned princess know that?’

Kael took a breath and asked,

“…How do you know that?”

Instead of answering, the princess stretched out her short arm. Kael stared at the small hand with only two fingers outstretched.

“There are two things I can give you.”

The princess touched her head with her finger.

“Information.”

She could tell him in detail about how to break his curse, how to develop some underdeveloped territory, and a way to call the spring that never came.

“I can make you an emperor.”

Behind those charming words were means of treason.

Kael’s eyes narrowed. He couldn’t believe that the princess herself suggested that.

“And the last one.”

The princess got up from her seat.

Perhaps because of a wrong step, her body, which was smaller than he expected, staggered.

Kael unknowingly grabbed her hand to support her.

There was still dry blood in the palm of his hand.

“What is it?”

The princess smiled and approached him, who smelled like blood because of the monsters and assassins casually.

It was as if she didn’t care about those vicious rumors.

She smiled and took Kael’s hand.

A small hand rested on his blood-stained one.

“…!”

At the same time, Kael’s eyes widened.

The thirst and pain that had never left him since the curse started disappeared in an instant.

It was a refreshing feeling that filled the void inside him.

It felt like the leash that had been holding his neck for a long time had been released.

‘It’s been a while since I felt like this.’

When was the last time he looked at people without being thirsty?

This feeling was something that he never imagined.

After being cursed, he lost every hope of turning back to normal.

Even his mother had no choice but to give up on him.

‘But how did this happen?’

“I have the power to suppress the curse.”

He couldn’t cry in front of anyone he saw for the first time, especially in front of this little princess.

But his emotion won over his reason.

The princess, who was still holding his hand, entered his tear-filled vision.

“Do you like it?”

Her messy pink hair, golden eyes that shined brightly even under the dim lamp, and a confident smile that could reassure people.

All of that filled Kael’s vision.

At the same time, his tears fell.

“What do you want?”

A relationship must be two-way for it to work. Even though the princess was young, he was sure that she also wanted something in return.

Kael quickly wiped his tears and took a step back.

However, his hands were still held by the princess. She didn’t want to let go.

“I hope you do not get sick and become an adult.”

‘Become an adult?’ Kael stopped the hand that was sweeping his tears and opened his fingers slightly to look at the princess through the gap.

“I want you to revive the Bertrund Duchy’s glory and become an excellent heir. Also…”

She wanted him to develop himself with the wealth and power obtained by her information. She wanted him to trample on the people who betrayed her in the past.

“Kill all the royals and be victorious.”

After saying that, the young princess smiled brightly.