Irene entered the office after announcing her arrival clearly.
Her father, King Arxon, sat behind his desk, with the Prime Minister standing at his side. The King watched her enter without even bothering to show the slightest courtesy due to a princess, nor did he greet her. Irene remained composed, bowed slightly, and said,
"Greetings to the Sun of the Empire, sovereign of the great Kingdom of Eiscard."
"Sit," he replied coldly.
As she had done the last time, Irene took the seat opposite him. The Prime Minister stepped away from the King's side and sat directly across from her. Irene glanced at him questioningly before lowering her eyes to the floor.
"Lady Irene..." the Prime Minister began.
Lady? How could he address me as 'Lady' in front of my father? Isn't that disrespectful to the King himself? Irene thought.
It was a clear sign that he did not acknowledge her as a princess in the King's presence, yet the King himself offered no objection.
Irene said nothing and simply looked at him.
"Yesterday, in the King's presence, a confidential meeting was held with the delegation from Valerian," he continued. "As expected, the negotiations proceeded smoothly. Therefore, your engagement will soon be announced officially, and afterward, you will move there under the name Irene Eiscard Valerian."
Leaning forward, he continued,
"I assume you understand what Eiscard means to Valerian. For generations, our kingdoms have stood as enemies. To the outside world, this marriage serves as a symbol of peace and the end of hostilities between the two nations. Do you understand what I'm saying?"
"Yes," Irene answered calmly.
"Good. In return, Valerian will cede several properties to Eiscard, including territories in the south, as your dowry. You need not concern yourself with the details. What matters is the role you are expected to fulfill after your arrival."
His voice sharpened.
"Do you know what the Royal Council is?"
"Yes," Irene answered. "The Royal Council is a gathering of the kingdom's most influential nobles, held in the King's presence, where matters concerning the realm are discussed and solutions are sought."
The Prime Minister smiled in a rather unsettling manner.
"Precisely."
Then he said,
"After your marriage, your task will be to gain access to that place and report to us all major movements and internal issues concerning the Kingdom of Valerian."
Irene's lips parted in surprise.
The Royal Council is strictly confidential. No foreign noble is ever permitted inside due to severe security measures. How on earth do they expect me to enter such a place?
Seeing her expression, the Prime Minister said,
"You seem surprised. I heard you were intelligent, though perhaps not quite as intelligent as people claim. Did you truly believe that marrying into a nation hostile to Valerian would serve no purpose?"
His tone was openly insulting, but Irene's thoughts were elsewhere.
At last, she understood their true intentions.
They wanted her to become their spy, relaying secrets directly from the Royal Council—the one place beyond their reach. Yet entering it would be nearly impossible.
After organizing her thoughts, she replied formally,
"No, Your Excellency, I never assumed I would be free from such requests. However, the Royal Council has strict laws. No foreign noble, nor anyone holding dual nationality, regardless of status or influence, is allowed entry in order to preserve the secrecy of state affairs. Those rules would apply to me as well. Under normal circumstances, I would never be allowed inside."
For the first time, Arxon spoke, annoyance apparent in his voice.
"Valerian's supreme authority rests with King Christoph, who has the final say in all matters. However, his father entrusted military command to his younger son, Richard. Once you marry Richard's son, Lucas, you will become second only to the Queen herself. All you need to do is earn Richard's favor and request permission, as the kingdom's future queen, to accompany him. Should King Christoph approve, you will gain access regardless of the objections of the other nobles."
Irene fell silent.
Unbelievable... Their cunning is astonishing. The Ice King truly exploits every opportunity, no matter how slim, to pursue his hidden ambitions. But even if I succeed in winning my father-in-law's support, the final decision still belongs to King Christoph. Failure remains a possibility.
"Do you understand what His Majesty has said?" asked the Prime Minister.
"Yes, I do... but what if King Christoph refuses?" she asked hesitantly.
The Prime Minister explained that she would be given sufficient time to try. But if she failed despite that...
He smiled and slowly drew his hand across his neck.
The meaning was unmistakable.
Irene stared in shock at the vulgar gesture before looking toward her father. The King merely regarded her with a coldness that rivaled heaven and earth and did not even bother to speak.
The Prime Minister continued,
"It seems you still fail to understand your position. This marriage has already served certain purposes. It will bind the name of Eiscard to its enemy, Valerian, forever. Such a price is acceptable because it grants us access to the deepest secrets of that kingdom. But if you fail to accomplish that objective, then such a connection loses all meaning... and so will your existence, both to the King and to the Kingdom."
Irene was left speechless.
Had her life truly been so worthless all this time? Had they assigned her an impossible task simply to dispose of her in the end?
At last, the King rested his fist against his cheek and spoke.
"I will repeat myself one final time. Failure is not an option available to you. You have no luxury to make mistakes. The fact that you stand before me now, breathing this air, is a privilege I allowed you to possess. I could have erased your existence from this kingdom the very day you were brought before me, and not a single soul would have dared object or even raise their head against me."
His voice grew even colder.
"I spared your life despite the disgrace that servant who gave birth to you brought upon my name. Do not mistake my patience for mercy, as my subjects do, nor assume your presence in this palace stems from fatherly affection. It was nothing more than a royal decision—a chance granted so that your life might serve my throne. And should I decide that your existence has become nothing but a burden upon my name, I will not hesitate for a moment to rid myself of you. There is not a single person on this earth capable of protecting you from that fate."
With every word he uttered, Irene's heartbeat quickened.
The Prime Minister then informed her that a trusted instructor had already been appointed. This man would teach her everything she needed to know and supervise every aspect of her preparation. During the short time remaining, she was expected to learn diligently and could consult him whenever she wished.
Finally, he added,
"I trust the situation is clear to you now. You may leave. His Majesty is occupied with matters far more important."
Irene found her tongue too heavy to speak.
Silently, she rose to her feet, bowed, and left the office.
The reality forced upon her was far crueler than she had ever imagined.
To be continued....