Chapter 212: You and I Aren’t So Different After All

Emilia was seated at the small table in Princess Luna’s room.

The princess’s companion, that pale woman with white hair and bluish lips, served them both a cup of tea before withdrawing to a corner of the room.

Emilia took the cup in her hands more out of courtesy than desire, and looked at the princess sitting across from her.

"So, what did you want to talk to me about, Princess?" Emilia said, trying to sound friendly. "Was there something that bothered you during the meeting? If the room, the food, or the service isn’t to your liking, tell me and I’ll fix it immediately."

Princess Luna shook her head.

"It’s nothing like that," she replied, taking a sip of her tea. "The room is fine, the food was delicious, and the service has been impeccable... I have no complaints about any of that."

"Then... what is it?" Emilia said, confused.

The princess set her cup on the table and raised her gaze to Emilia.

It was then that the queen felt something had changed. The princess’s carefree manner vanished all at once, replaced by an intensity that made her feel strangely uncomfortable.

It was as if Princess Luna could see straight through her.

"Was it worth it?" she asked.

"Excuse me?"

"I asked if it was worth it," Luna repeated without looking away.

"...I don’t know what you’re referring to."

"Giving up your kingdom and giving yourself to that human," Luna said, keeping her eyes fixed on her. "All of it in exchange for power."

Emilia froze for a second.

And although she tried to hide it, the slight trembling in her hands and the way her gaze flickered for an instant gave her away.

"I truly... don’t know what you’re talking about," she replied, trying to maintain her composure. "I didn’t give up anything in exchange for anything."

Luna let out a soft laugh.

"Oh, come on," she said, leaning slightly forward. "You’re not going to tell me you actually married that human out of love."

"Of course I did..." Emilia replied firmly. "You’re mistaken, Princess. I love my husband, and everything that—"

"You can stop performing," Luna interrupted with a half smile. "You don’t fool me with that clumsy act of happy spouses... I saw through it the moment I entered this palace."

"You’re mistaken," Emilia insisted. "My husband and I—"

"If that were really true," Luna cut her off again, this time with a sharper tone, "there wouldn’t be so many other women in this palace with your ’husband’s’ scent all over them."

Emilia went quiet.

Luna’s words had knocked the air from her lungs.

Because she couldn’t deny it. Not in front of someone with a beastman’s sense of smell who could detect exactly what was between Mark and the others.

Luna watched her, clearly enjoying the uncomfortable silence that had settled between them.

"Though of course, maybe I’m wrong," the princess continued in a provocative tone, leaning back in her chair. "Maybe the relationship between you two is just like that. An... open arrangement, let’s say."

"..."

"So if that’s the case, would you mind lending him to me for a while?" Luna asked with a smile full of mischief. "After all, I need him to get me pregnant. It’s not a big deal."

Emilia was left stunned, mouth slightly open and eyes wide, unable to process what she had just heard.

"W-what...?"

"Don’t worry, I’ll return him in perfect condition," Luna added with complete naturalness. "I have no interest in your ’husband’ beyond his seed. Once I get what I need, he’s all yours again. I have no intention of keeping him."

At that precise moment something inside Emilia snapped.

She shot to her feet, slamming both hands on the table and making the teacups rattle and spill part of their contents.

"You stupid little brat!" she exclaimed with a fury she hadn’t felt in a long time. "Was that your real reason for coming all this way?! You crossed half a continent just for this?!"

The pale companion in the corner tensed slightly and took half a step forward, but Luna stopped her with a subtle gesture of her hand.

Then the princess looked back at Emilia and raised both hands in a gesture of peace.

"No, of course that’s not my real reason for coming. That was just... let’s call it a last-minute idea."

"Then what the hell do you want?" Emilia demanded through clenched teeth.

Luna lowered her hands and her expression turned more serious.

"What I’m looking for from you is simple... I want you to back me," she said. "And in exchange, I’ll do exactly the same for you in the future."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"You see, right at this moment a battle is being fought over my father’s throne, the Grand Lord of all Beasts," she explained, taking a sip from her cup. "And unfortunately for me, I’m not exactly in the best of positions."

Emilia began connecting the dots.

"...So you want to use us to win," she said slowly.

"I see you finally understand," Luna said with a satisfied smile. "With you backing me, my position against my siblings would change completely."

"You’re insane." 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

Princess Luna let out a small laugh.

"Insane? Me?" she repeated, tilting her head. "Tell me, what right do you have to judge me? When someone capable of changing your fate appeared before you, you clung to him with everything you had... I’m only considering following the same path."

Emilia looked at her with fury and pressed her lips together so tightly they turned white. She wanted to refute her words, wanted to tell her it wasn’t the same, but she couldn’t.

Because Luna was right.

In the end, unable to find an answer, Emilia simply turned around.

"I’m leaving," she said in a tense voice, walking toward the exit.

"Oh, by the way... congratulations on your pregnancy."

Emilia froze, her hand suspended over the doorknob as her entire body tensed all at once.

She didn’t turn around or say a single word, she simply stood there, motionless, with her back to the princess.

Luna smiled at the reaction.

"We can detect that kind of thing much earlier than any other race," she continued in a provocative tone. "And, from what I could sense... I’d say you’re not the only one, are you?"

"..."

"Either way I’m fairly certain you’re going to give birth to quite a powerful heir," Luna added in an almost amused tone. "Congratulations again."

Emilia didn’t respond.

She simply opened the door and slammed it with all her strength as she left, making the crash echo down the entire corridor.