Chapter 90: Revealing Secrets
The ruler’s words, "A woman could never sit on the throne," echoed in Sylvia’s ears like a haunting refrain.
"A woman could never sit on the throne.
A woman could never sit on the throne."
The subordinate, his disbelief clear, was quick to challenge the ruler’s shocking statement. "Ruler, what are you saying? This is completely different from the announcement you made. Didn’t you declare that Princess Sylvia would succeed you? How can you say such hurtful things towards her when she’s just barely survived?"
The ruler’s words felt like stinging taunts to Sylvia. She couldn’t remain silent in the face of such prejudice. "Least! Ha ha ha ha ha. If this is the least a ruler expects from their people, then what more do they expect?"
"Princess, what are you saying? I can’t understand what you said before or now," the subordinate admitted, clearly puzzled by Sylvia’s remarks.
"The point I’m making is this: my father, no, I mean the ruler of this empire, sent me to kill an innocent person on the orders of the emperor and then get executed for the act. If this is the least he could have offered me, then I suppose he might as well have sent me straight to hell. Does that sound about right?" Sylvia asked, her gaze fixed on the confused subordinate, who remained silent.
"You all heard it right. I was sent to be executed, not to undertake a mission that would benefit this tribal empire. The ruler may have portrayed it as an assassination group, but it’s not. It might be the same for you, but for me, it was a means to get rid of me," Sylvia declared, her frustration evident. However, as she spoke, her strength waned, and she stumbled.
"Princess, hold on!!!" her attendants rushed to support her.
"If she’s so capable, she should be able to stand on her own, just like a son would, right? Isn’t that what she aspires to be, my son?" the ruler remarked callously. "I thought something serious had happened. If I had been aware of this useless drama from this troublesome princess, I wouldn’t have cut short my vacation to come here."
Sylvia couldn’t let the ruler’s disparaging comments slide. She retorted, "Yeah, you must be busy finding more concubines for yourself who can bear sons, aren’t you?"
"And yes, ruler, your dearest concubine, sent as a gift from a distant country, is now pregnant with your child. The astrologer predicts it will be a son. You must be overjoyed, right? So thrilled that you’d run on your feeble old knees to embrace her right away?" Sylvia continued, her sarcasm biting. Before she could gauge the ruler’s reaction, she watched as he hurried towards the concubine’s chambers, as she had anticipated.