Two-Faced Princess

and quiet sobbing upset him even more.
At that moment, Apollonia’s both hands grabbed his shoulders, leaving her arms dangling weakly.

“I want to stay like this for a while,” Uriel once again whispered gently.

And at that moment, she grabbed Uriel’s shoulders.
“Uhh…hu….”

Thinking that he couldn’t see her face eased her tension, and Apollonia eventually sobbed quietly.

She buried her whole body in his chest like a child.
Uriel’s heart was about to shatter.

The two stayed like that for a long time.

Apollonia’s breathing gradually found its pace.
She pushed him back gently and raised her head to look at Uriel.
Her tears were gone, but her eyes were still out-of-focus.

“Uriel….what should I do?” Her voice was hoarse.
“Should I escape through marriage? But I don’t want to be a queen of a foreign land.
Even if I get married, my spouse won’t be able to fully support me.
As long as I remain in the empire, my aunt will always keep me in check.” Her eyes were swollen.

It was saddening to watch her fall into deep sorrow like that, but even this appearance exuded a different kind of beauty.
Her lifeless lips and pale cheeks were still enticing in his eyes.

“Do you want to live?” Uriel asked.
His light tone was very carefree, yet his eyes bottled up some regret and longing.
“Would you be happy as long as you could live? What if there’s a way for you to obtain a happy life without becoming a foreign queen?”

After a row of questions, the two remained silent for a long time, looking straight into each other’s eyes.
Apollonia knew exactly the meaning behind Uriel’s words; He was going to take Apollonia away.

He wanted to take her away from her biological father.
Just as her mother, Princess Elenia, once dreamed of.

Apollonia, however, shook her head slightly.
Leaving the imperial palace, the place of her birth and childhood, and staying hidden forever.
It was something that never crossed her mind.
Her eyes were always set on the throne, whether consciously or unconsciously.

“It’s no different from dying.”

The faint hope gleamed in his sea-like eyes for a moment and vanished.

What am I hoping for? Is there a reason why she would want to live with me?

Uriel smiled bitterly.
 “I just asked because I want you to look into your heart, Your Highness.”

“What?”

“Your Highness.” He removed the wistful expression that he had a while ago.
“If you don’t want to get married, find a way to evade it.
If you’re weak, build your strength.
If you’re worried about your aunt keeping you in check, then avoid her at all costs.
Kill Petra Leifer, or use something else to divert her attention.
It’s that simple.” He blurted out his words quickly as if he were scolding a spoiled child.
Earlier, he was swept along in Apollonia’s grief, but there was no trace of sadness in his face now.

“Uriel…”

“Sid is dead.
Nothing can be done about that.
His fate was sealed the moment he swore loyalty to Your Highness.”

Apollonia listened to his lecture with a blank expression.