The walk to the Princess's private quarters was entirely silent.
The busy, crowded halls of the palace slowly faded away as Amyra led him deeper into the royal wing. There were no guards stationed here. There were no servants walking by with trays of wine.
It was just the two of them.
The only sound was the sharp, rhythmic click of Amyra's heels against the polished marble floor. She didn't look back to see if he was following. She simply walked with the absolute confidence of a predator leading a deer into a trap.
Rias followed a few steps behind her. His face was blank, but his mind was running through a dozen different scenarios.
'She dismissed the guards,' Rias thought, observing the empty corridor.
'She wants complete privacy. No witnesses. No one to interrupt.'
They finally stopped in front of a massive door carved from dark, polished wood.
Amyra pushed it open and stepped inside. Rias followed without a single moment of hesitation.
*Click!*
The heavy door shut behind him. The lock slid into place with a sharp, final sound.
The bedroom was massive. Heavy red velvet curtains covered the windows, blocking out the setting sun and casting the room in deep, dark shadows. A massive, bed sat in the center of the room, covered in silk sheets.
It looked incredibly luxurious. But to Rias, it felt exactly like a cage.
He didn't get a chance to look around any further.
Before Rias could even take another step, Amyra spun around. Her hands slammed flat against his chest.
She pushed him hard.
Rias didn't try to stop her. He let his legs give way, falling backward. His back hit the edge of the massive mattress, and he tumbled onto the soft silk sheets.
Before he could even sit up, Amyra was on top of him.
She crawled onto the bed, straddling his waist and pinning his legs down. She leaned forward, pressing her hands into the mattress on either side of his head.
She was inches away from his face.
He could feel the warmth of her breath against his skin. He could smell the faint, intoxicating scent of crushed roses and ash.
Her long, crimson hair fell like a curtain around them, completely cutting off his view of the rest of the room. She had trapped him perfectly. If he tried to move, he would have to fight her physically. If he tried to speak, her face was so close their lips would almost brush.
"Did you really think you fooled anyone in that throne room?"
Her voice was a breathless whisper. It wasn't angry or loud. It was incredibly soft, dripping with a terrifying, venomous sweetness.
Rias looked up into her burning gold eyes. He didn't blink. He didn't try to push her away.
Amyra slowly lifted one of her hands. She reached down, her slender fingers gently brushing through his messy blonde hair. It was a lover's touch, soft and intimate.
But her eyes were filled with absolute murderous intent.
"You put on a very good show, Rias," she whispered, her thumb slowly tracing the line of his cheekbone.
"You stood up straight. You spoke clearly. You almost looked like a real noble. But I see right through you."
She leaned in just a fraction of an inch closer.
"You are nothing."
She let the words hang in the quiet air, letting the insult sink in.
"You are not a bridge between our empires," Amyra continued, her voice practically purring with cruel delight.
"You are garbage. You are a mistake that Duke Reinhard swept out of his house because he couldn't stand the sight of you anymore."
Rias remained perfectly still.
'She's trying to break me mentally,' Rias analyzed the situation with cold precision.
'She stripped away my escape routes. She invaded my personal space. Now, she is trying to strip away my pride. It is just a psychological interrogation.'
Amyra's hand moved down to his jawline. She stroked his cheek, her lips curving into a breathtaking, dangerous smile.
"You are just a pathetic hostage," she said sweetly.
"A disposable pawn. If I cut your throat right now and mailed your head back to Solaria in a wooden box, your father wouldn't even declare war. He would probably thank me."
She wanted him to react.
She wanted his eyes to widen in fear. She wanted his breathing to hitch. She wanted him to open his mouth and try to deny it, just so she could shut him down again.
But Rias didn't give her anything. He just watched her.
Amyra's smile widened, completely mistaking his silence for terrified paralysis.
"But don't worry," she whispered, leaning down until her lips were right next to his ear.
"I am not going to kill you. Death is far too easy for someone with Leonhart blood."
She pulled back just enough to look into his crimson eyes again. She gently caressed his cheek, acting like a caring fiancée comforting her future husband.
"I am going to keep you here. I am going to make sure you live a very long time," Amyra promised, her voice laced with pure poison.
"And I will not let you live peacefully for a single second. I will make every waking moment of your pathetic life a living nightmare. I will break you down until you are begging on your knees for me to end it."
She finally stopped speaking.
She kept him pinned to the bed, her fingers still resting gently against his skin. She waited for the panic to set in. She waited for the boy who had acted so arrogant in the throne room to finally shatter under the reality of his situation.
Silence stretched through the dark bedroom.
And then, Rias smiled.
It wasn't a nervous smile. It wasn't a forced, arrogant smirk.
It was a genuine, breathtakingly calm smile that reached all the way to his eyes.
Amyra frowned. Her fingers froze against his cheek.
This was not the reaction she was looking for.
Rias slowly lifted his right hand from the mattress.
Amyra tensed, ready to dodge a strike or block a hidden dagger.
But Rias didn't attack. He simply reached up and gently tucked a stray strand of her hair behind her ear.
His touch was just as soft, just as intimate as hers had been.
"You have a very beautiful voice, Princess," Rias said. His tone was smooth, relaxed, and completely devoid of fear.
Amyra stared at him, genuine confusion flashing across her eyes for the very first time.
"What is wrong with you?" she demanded, her fake sweetness finally cracking.
"Did you not hear a single word I just said? You are completely at my mercy!"
"I heard every word," Rias replied softly. He didn't try to push her off. He stayed perfectly relaxed against the pillows.
"You called me a disposable pawn. You called me a pathetic hostage. You said my father threw me away."
He looked directly into her eyes, his own crimson gaze deepening into something dark and unfathomable.
"And you are absolutely right."
Amyra blinked, completely thrown off balance.
He was agreeing with her?
"I am the trash of the Leonhart family," Rias continued calmly.
"My father despises me. My siblings want me dead. If you killed me today, no one in my empire would shed a single tear."
He reached up again, his fingers lightly tracing the delicate line of her jaw. Amyra was so stunned by his confession that she didn't even swat his hand away.
"But you seem to be missing the most important part of that truth, Amyra," Rias whispered.
"What truth?" she asked, her voice losing its venom, replaced by a cautious, guarded tone.
Rias's smile turned razor-sharp.
"If I am truly a disposable pawn..." Rias said slowly, his voice dropping into a dark, hypnotic rhythm.
"...If I have absolutely nothing to lose, no family that cares for me, and no home to return to... then what makes you think I am afraid of you?"
The words hit her like a physical blow.
"You are trying to threaten a dead man," Rias chuckled softly, his hand dropping away from her face.
"You cannot hold my life over my head, Princess. I surrendered my life the moment I stepped into that carriage."
Amyra stared down at the boy pinned beneath her.
The power dynamic in the room had just violently shifted, and she didn't even know how it happened. She had him physically trapped. She had dictated the entire conversation.
But looking into his calm, empty crimson eyes, she suddenly felt like she was the one locked in a cage.
"You talk a good game," Amyra sneered, trying to forcefully regain control. She leaned her weight down, pressing her hands harder into the mattress.
"But you are still trapped in my city. You are still mine to play with."
"Am I?" Rias asked innocently.
He suddenly grabbed her left wrist.
His grip wasn't brutal, but it was incredibly firm. He didn't hurt her, but he held her arm in place with a casual, terrifying strength.
Amyra tried to pull her hand back. It didn't budge an inch.
It felt like her wrist was locked in an iron vice.
Panic flared in her chest. The reports said he was crippled. He shouldn't have this kind of strength.
"If I am just your plaything..." Rias whispered, pulling her wrist just a fraction of an inch closer to his face.
"...Then why is your pulse racing?"
Amyra's breath caught in her throat.
He could feel it. He could feel the rapid, frantic beating of her heart through the veins in her wrist. She was trying to act like a monster, but deep down, his absolute lack of fear was terrifying her.
Rias slowly let go of her wrist.
"You want to make my life a nightmare, Princess? Go ahead. Try your best," Rias said casually. He shifted his weight, forcing her to climb off him to maintain her balance.
Rias sat up on the edge of the bed, smoothing out the wrinkles in his dark blue coat. He didn't even look at her as he stood up.
"But be very careful," Rias added, finally turning his head to look at her over his shoulder.
"If you poke a rabid dog long enough, it won't just bite your hand. It will tear out your throat."
Amyra sat on the edge of the bed, her golden eyes wide, staring at his back.
[Ding!]
[Hidden Condition Met!]
[You have successfully shattered an enemy's psychological dominance.]
[Skill Level Up: Deception has reached Lv. 3!]
[New Passive Skill Acquired: Intimidation (Lv. 1) - Your gaze now instills a natural sense of dread in those who are unsure of your true strength.]
Rias swiped the screen away without a change in expression.
He walked toward the heavy wooden door, completely ignoring the stunned Princess behind him. He reached out and unlocked the door with a loud, echoing click.
"Thank you for the lovely conversation, Amyra," Rias said politely, stepping out into the dark hallway.
"I look forward to our wedding."
The heavy door shut behind him, leaving the Blood Princess sitting alone in the dark, her heart pounding frantically against her ribs.