CASSANDRA: The Unfavored Princess-Chapter 53: Our Option?

Duke Salvador smiled as he looked at the Emperor.

"Indeed, we do not know what power Vivere Kingdom’s Princess has, but bringing her into the Empire opens up many possibilities."

The secretary who was standing there in the front gulped. It was his duty to look into things and search for possible outcomes. And he saw the entry of the Vivere Kingdoms Crown Prince with the army in disguise of a peace treaty as a threat to the Empire.

[Duke Salvador does not know what he is saying.]

[Is he trying to make fun of me?]

The eyes of the secretary narrowed. He was angry that the Duke would think so hard and long into something.

[No, I am sure they are planning on attacking us.]

[This is the only outcome that makes sense.]

[I can never be wrong.]

Thinking that he was not wrong the secretary’s thoughts turned messier. His eyes were flooded with worry.

[Is Vivere Kingdom planning to damage the Empire from within?]

[That makes sense, but what if they kill the Emperor?]

[We do not have the next Emperor ready yet.]

Cassandra, who was listening to the secretaries, narrowed her eyes. She could understand why he was panicking from within.

Although the next Crown Prince has been determined, he still has not mastered the hold on all the four elements yet. There will still be the possibility that someone else would be the next Emperor. All the heirs had equal chances to be the Emperor, unless and until all the four elements were expressed in one.

[What if the Vivere Kingdom attacked us and killed the Emperor in the royal palace?]

[What would be our option?]

[The hope that is keeping the Empire together would be destroyed.]

[Duke Salvador is talking rubbish. He should only focus on the wars rather than the political affairs.]

Although the secretary thought so, he could not say the words out loud. He was a master in shielding his true emotions but unknown to him the fifth Princess, Princess Cassandra had always known him. The secretary was a cunning person but he was loyal to the Emperor alone.

Cassandra could also understand why the secretary thought the way he did. Their family had always been the one that guarded the prophecy. For them keeping the Elvira Empire’s legacy intact was the truth they stood by.

Cassandra’s eyes we’re subconsciously focused on the secretary. As she had been listening to his thoughts she sneered with his evaluation of Duke Salvador.

The secretary looked at Duke Salvador who was thinking too deeply into the situation according to him. It was a plain case of trying to hurt the Empire and yet Duke Salvador said that it was something else.

The secretary said in a small voice. "What is the Duke thinking? What is the other possibility?"

Duke Salvador smiled as if mocking the secretary. He had seen that Cassandra’s gaze would shift towards the secretary from time to time. There was a feeling of irritability in him.

’I never liked this man.’

Duke Salvador’s thoughts. ’Why is she looking at him?’

’Does Princess Cassandra think that the secretary is very intelligent?’

’What foolish thought. He can not even dig deep into this situation and yet he calls himself an intelligent man.’

Duke Salvador sneered as he looked at the secretary who was staring at him with a confident gaze.

"The possibility is quite simple. It is either the Princess is here because she wants to enjoy the feel of the Empire without causing a lot of harm or the Princess is a strong warrior who will be helping their Crown Prince and the army to attack us. So for the time being, I suggest that we do not get involved a lot with this Princess and keep an eye on her as if she is the enemy."

Everyone present was in deep thoughts. The entry of the Princess was considered a trivial matter. Something that had been ignored.

The Emperor agreed with the Duke’s thought. "Yes, we cannot single out a single person at this moment to be harmless. Everyone entering the Empire will be a threat to us. I suggest that the Duke’s send their guards in secret to protect the royal family soon."

All the dukes nodded their heads as they agreed. But soon Duke Crawford said with a heavy voice. "But what if the peace treaty comes with an ulterior motive? Although it is well known that the Elvira Empire and the Vivere Kingdom do not see eye to eye, but over the centuries the relations between the two have not deteriorated. If the Vivere Kingdom comes in with a demand to marry in the Empire, what will be our decision?

Duke Bentham was in deep thought. Duke Crawford was the oldest and the wisest between them. His word would be ignored at will.

"I know that Vivere Kingdom’s Crown Prince is unmarried and does not have any prospective marriage partner yet? He is a man who is at the marriageable age. What if they want to form a peace treaty on the grounds of marriage?"

Duke Bentham’s words brought silence throughout the room. No one dared to say another word as everyone focused on the decision that had been made.

The Emperor’s gaze shook for a second. He was in deep thoughts.

[Yes, what they are saying is correct.]

[What if they demanded that one of the Princesses get married to their Crown Prince?]

It was a possibility that they have not thought about. The Emperor smiled as he looked at the Princess whose eyes were focused on the fronts where Duke Salvador stood.

"What do others think of these possibilities?" The Emperor asked, completely ignoring the wide eyes of his secretary.

"Yes, it is a possibility."

"We have to think about it too."

"What if they make sudden demands?"

"What if their Princess also wants to get married here."

"They have lost the war, what if they want to sacrifice their Princess in the process."

All the voices came in as the Emperor listened to their thoughts. But something caught his attention. He could sense that Duke Salvador’s gaze would move towards the Princess from time to time. A smile formed on the Emperor’s face as he thought.

[Why is Duke Salvador so focused on this matter? Even thinking about marriage?]

[Is Duke Salvador interested in one of the princesses?]

[That makes sense. He doesn’t want her to get married to anyone else.]

[But who is the Princess then?]

The Emperor’s eyes fell towards his daughters who were quiet. Almost everyone was looking at Duke Salvador with their sight filled with admiration except for the last seat, the seat that occupied the fifth Princess.

But the emperor did not mind; after all, the fifth Princess had already decided to be married to Lord Bentham. The Emperor ignored Cassandra as he focused on everyone else.

[If what I’m thinking is true, then Duke Salvador surely will go for the first Princess.]

[Aiden is a man of power and he would like his partner to be the same.]

[Not only will I be in-laws with the Benthams but I will also have Salvador’s in my hand.]

[Two major Dukedoms will follow me in the future.]

The Emperor was happy with his thinking. He smiled at Duke Salvador completely unaware that his thoughts had already reached Cassandra’s ears.

Cassandra looked between the Emperor and the Dukes. ’Does Duke Salvador have feelings for Princess Valeria?’

’Is the Emperor thinking in the right direction?’

Cassandra fiddled with her fingers. She was angry but could not pinpoint the reason for it. Her gaze refused to look up as she focused her attention on Duke Salvador.

All the voices flowing through her head quiet down and all Cassandra could hear was the silence. The silence she craved was only possible when she focused on Aiden.

"So tell me, what does Duke Salvador think? You have been thinking so hard that I presume you have come up with an answer." The Emperor said as he curled his lips.

Duke Salvador’s eyes shined with excitement. "If they really ask for the hand of a Princess, we do not have to think too deeply into it."

Aiden looked at the Princesses with a sly smile before he returned his gaze at the Emperor. "The marriage partner chosen for the Vivere Kingdom’s Crown Prince should not only be intelligent but also powerful enough to withhold her standing. In case of war, she should be able to help her mother country."

Duke Salvador’s voice had an authoritative tone in it.

The Emperor smiled as he nodded his head. "What Duke Salvador is saying that’s true. We should be very careful in selecting such an important person, if they really do plan to do it. So who do you suggest would be good for this?"

Duke Salvador looked at the people in the room before his gaze rested on the side. There was a playful smile on his face before the words came out.

"The first Princess. Princess Valeria."