TAP TAP TAP!
Kane sat in the waiting room, he waited patiently, his fingers drumming on the armrest, until he finally heard it:
CREEAKK!
The door opened.
"Hehe! CLINK CLANK."
Nat came inside, Tyra floating beside her. The moment Kane saw her, he immediately stood up from his seat and bowed very low, his upper body bent nearly ninety degrees.
"Princess Natlia, I am deeply sorry for all my actions over these years!" Kane said in a loud, formal voice that echoed in the room. "Please, I'm begging you—let's talk this through properly!"
Nat stopped in her tracks, genuinely surprised. She stared at Kane bowing before her, and for a long moment, she just stood there in complete shock, not knowing how to react.
What… what is happening right now?
"Ah! Mr. Kane, please raise your head immediately!" Princess Natlia rushed forward, her hands fluttering nervously. "You're a Higher Crown—you can't bow to me like this! Please, stand up!"
"NO! I will not raise my head until you agree to talk to me properly and hear me out!" Kane spoke loudly again, his voice firm and unwavering.
"FINE! FINE, Mr. Kane, I'll talk with you now! I promise! Please just raise your head!" Princess Natlia spoke quickly, fidgeting with the hem of her shirt.
"Okay, thank you, Princess," Kane finally stood up straight and looked directly at Princess Natlia's face, his eyes searching hers.
"Please, Mr. Kane, sit down," Princess Natlia spoke in a gentle manner, gesturing to the chair. She helped guide him back to his seat, then moved to sit perfectly opposite him across the small table.
Her knee-length shorts and her still-slightly-damp shirt from her earlier training session made her look far from the dignified, princess-like figure she was supposed to be. She looked more like a young woman who'd just finished exercising.
Kane offered a faint, almost hesitant smile as he spoke, his voice steady but sincere.
"I've thought a lot about what your friend said to me that night," he began. "It was like a bucket of cold water thrown in my face—it snapped me out of whatever haze I was in. I finally realized just how much of a fool I'd been with you… how badly I'd treated you."
He paused, his expression softening, eyes heavy with remorse.
"I'm truly sorry, Princess—for everything. The harassment, the pressure, the manipulation… all of it. You didn't deserve any of that."
"Ah, Mr. Kane! You…" Princess Natlia's eyes widened in genuine surprise. "To be completely honest, I'm shocked by what you're saying right now. I didn't believe you were actually going to ask for forgiveness. I thought you'd come here to threaten me again."
She looked down at her hands. "It's true that your actions were not good at all, Mr. Kane. They hurt me deeply."
"I know. I'm truly sorry," Kane said, his voice heavy with what seemed like genuine regret. "I didn't mean to cause you so much pain. It's just that when I saw you for the very first time, I fell in love with you instantly—like being struck by lightning. And I couldn't bear to look at what happened to you back then, the struggles you faced. So I pulled all the strings I could, used all my influence and connections, and forced myself into the position of your fiancé."
He looked straight into her eyes, his gaze intense. "And without even realizing what I was doing, I ended up doing incredibly nasty, disgusting things to you. Princess, I'm so sorry. I just wanted you to see me, to notice me, to maybe feel something for me. I didn't mean to harm you. You were just so beautiful, so perfect, that I couldn't help but use those terrible, manipulative tactics."
For a long moment, Princess Natlia kept staring at him, processing his words. She studied his face, searching for any sign of deception. Suddenly, almost against her will, her face turned slightly red. She looked away shyly, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.
"Ah, Mr. Kane, thank you for your compliment," she said softly. "I… I didn't realize you liked me that much. I thought it was just about power and control."
"Haha. 'Like' is honestly an understatement, Princess," Kane said with a broad smile.
CLICK CLANK.
He leaned forward slightly. "I love you, Princess Natlia. That's the truth. That's why I've done so much for this place over the years—the investments, the protection, the resources. Do you not agree? Haven't I been helpful?"
"Yes, Mr. Kane, you have done a lot of things for us," Princess Natlia acknowledged, bowing her head slightly in gratitude. "Thank you, really. I do appreciate that part, at least."
"Don't worry about it," Kane said with an easy smile. "You're my fiancée, after all. Doing these little things for you just comes naturally."
But then his expression faltered, the brightness in his eyes dimming. "Ah… but I suppose you don't want me anymore, do you? You already have someone else now." His voice softened, tinged with melancholy. "It's… honestly a little sad to see."
He lowered his head, as though genuinely heartbroken.
"Ah—yes, I'm sorry, Mr. Kane," Princess Natlia replied quickly, bowing her head. "I… I can't accept you as my husband. I hope you can understand."
"Hm, but what will you do about the bigger problem?" Kane asked, looking up at her again. His eyes seemed to bore into her. "As your friend correctly pointed out that night, if I go away, someone else will just come to take my place. It's a never-ending process, you know that right? The Higher Crown wants this place to function perfectly. They want results."
He paused meaningfully. "Can you make the machine work, Princess? Can you actually do what they're demanding?"
Princess Natlia trembled slightly at the question. She shook her head slowly in defeat, unable to meet his eyes.
Kane let out a quiet sigh and rose from his chair.
"Princess Natlia," he began, his tone calm but edged with vulnerability, "I know you don't feel the same way about me—that much is painfully clear. But… may I be bold enough to ask you something anyway?"
He took a slow, deliberate step toward her, his gaze steady. Then, without hesitation, he asked,
"Will you marry me?"
Princess Natlia's head jerked up, eyes wide in shock.
"W–what?" she stammered.
"Of course, you don't have to actually live with me as a real wife," Kane continued quickly, holding up his hand. "You can marry anyone you like, sleep with whoever you want. Meanwhile, I'll become your guardian and handle all the political work for you. This is my way of making amends, my atonement for whatever terrible things I've done to you over the years."
He moved even closer, now standing directly in front of her.
"Mr. Kane, what are you doing…"
"Please, Princess," Kane said, suddenly dropping to his knees in front of her. He grabbed her palm with both his hands. He looked up at her with what appeared to be desperate sincerity. "Let me be your guardian. I love you wholeheartedly—with everything I have. Can't you give me just this one chance? Not as a lover, but as someone who wants to protect you?"
CLINK CLANK.
"AH! Mr. Kane, I… I don't…" Princess Natlia stammered, her face flushing red. Her mind raced, trying to process what was happening.
"It's okay, Princess," Kane said gently, his voice soft and persuasive. "Think about it. You'll solve your problem with the Higher Crown and continue living peacefully with your lover. And I'll get to love you from a distance, content just to be near you. Aren't you happy getting loved by two men? I'll love you always, Princess. I'll protect you, support you, give you everything you need. Please accept me in whatever capacity you can."
Kane slowly, deliberately brought her hand to his lips and kissed it gently while still kneeling before her.
"AA! Mr. Kane, will… will everything really be okay if I agree to this?" Princess Natlia spoke with tears beginning to well up in her eyes. The weight of her impossible situation pressed down on her.
"Yes, everything will be perfectly okay," Kane said, standing up smoothly. He reached out and gently wiped away the tears beginning to spill down her cheeks, his touch surprisingly tender. Then he sat down beside her on the couch, much closer and intimate.
"Hm, then… okay!" Princess Natlia nodded her head decisively, as if trying to convince herself this was the right choice.
"Hehe, good. Very good," Kane said, satisfaction creeping into his voice. "Let's do our best together. With this arrangement, all your problems will be solved—political protection, financial security, everything. Aren't you happy, Princess Natlia?"
He reached out and patted her thigh casually, having positioned himself quite close to her now. His hand lingered there.
Princess Natlia didn't speak for a while. She stared down at his hand on her leg, her mind going strangely blank.
Kane noticed her silence and prompted her again, leaning slightly closer. "Princess, what's wrong? You're not saying anything. Why aren't you happy about this solution?"
"AH! Yes, Mr. Kane, I am truly happy, hehe," Princess Natlia spoke with forced, brittle delight. Her voice sounded hollow even to her own ears. She continued to look down, unable to raise her eyes.
"Then all is good and settled," Kane said, sounding pleased. "Sigh… I have loved you for such a long time you know. Now, finally seeing you up close like this, you're even more beautiful than I imagined. I don't know why I wasted so much time harassing you from a distance when I could have just talked to you properly."
He smiled. "You truly are a gentle soul, Princess. But what is with this outfit you're wearing?"
CLINK CLANK.
His hand squeezed her thigh slightly. "Since you've decided to become my wife—even in name only—then please wear proper clothes suitable for a Queen from now on. This casual look won't do."
He patted her thigh again, his hand moving slightly higher.
"Ah! Yes, Mr. Kane, sorry to appear before you like this," Princess Natlia said quickly, standing up suddenly. "I'll go and change into something more appropriate right now—"
Kane grabbed her wrist firmly, stopping her mid-step.
"No need for that," he said smoothly. "You still look cute in this outfit. Sit back down. I want to talk to you more, get to know my future wife better."
"Ah, Mr. Kane, okay, as you say so," Princess Natlia said nervously. She was about to sit back down in her previous spot when Kane suddenly pulled her wrist hard.
She lost her balance and fell—directly onto his lap.
"KYA! Mr. Kane! What… what are you doing?!" Princess Natlia's face turned completely red as she immediately tried to scramble back up, but Kane wrapped his arms around her waist from both sides, holding her tightly in place.
CLINK CLANK.
"Hey, Princess, don't be so embarrassed," Kane said, his voice taking on a different quality—darker, hungrier. "I just want to see you up close. You're so beautiful, so perfect. I've loved you for so long, haven't I? Can't I see you in close proximity? Just for a little while?"
He tightened his grip on her waist, his pressing into her soft flesh.
"AH! Mr. Kane, okay, just… just for a minute," Princess Natlia said weakly. She placed her hands on his shoulders to steady herself and sat sideways on his thighs, trying to maintain some dignity. She avoided looking at his face by letting her slightly long hair fall forward like a curtain, hiding her expression.
"Hehe, my fiancée is so cute and shy," Kane said with clear satisfaction. He reached up and grabbed the collar of her shirt—Zack's oversized shirt—and started pulling it down slowly, stretching the fabric. The shirt was slightly too big for her frame, so it slipped easily.
Slowly, deliberately, the shirt slid away from her shoulder, and her naked shoulder came into view—smooth, pale skin glowing in the light.
"Ah! Beautiful," Kane breathed, his eyes roaming over her exposed skin. He smiled wickedly and licked his lips like a predator eyeing prey.
"KYAA! Mr. Kane! Something is poking me!" Princess Natlia suddenly gasped, trying to move aside as she felt something hard pressing against her from below.
"Oh, this!" Kane said, not sounding apologetic at all. CLINK CLANK. "This happened because of you, my beautiful fiancée. You're just so irresistible. Why don't you serve me a little? Consider it payment for all the work I've done for you over the years, all the protection I've provided."
Kane smiled, released one arm from her waist, and grabbed her hand firmly. He placed it directly above his bulging crotch, pressing her palm down against the hardness there.
"AHHHH!!!" Kane moaned loudly in pleasure, his head falling back. "Finally! Oh god, finally! What do you think, ah! Princess? Can you feel how much I want you?"
He closed his eyes and continued to moan, grinding slightly against her trapped hand.
Princess Natlia sat frozen for a moment, her mind completely blank.
Then, something flickered in her eyes—something Kane couldn't see from his point of view.
"Mr. Kane," Nat said slowly, lifting her head with deliberate grace. A sharp, almost wicked smirk curled her lips.
"I THINK THIS IS VERY SMALL."
"Huh? What—?" Kane's eyes widened in shock. He stared at her, bewildered.
Nat's gaze cut through him like a blade—not filled with fear or embarrassment, but with raw, unmasked contempt.
WHOOSSHH TTTHUUUMMMM!!
In one fluid, explosive motion, Nat swiftly stood up from his lap, brought her trapped hand up high, made a tight fist, and punched his bulge with every ounce of strength she possessed.
The impact was devastating.
"AAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!" Kane's scream was piercing and raw. He couldn't react fast enough as blinding, searing pain exploded through his groin. He immediately doubled over, clutching his crotch with both hands, his face contorting in agony. Tears sprang to his eyes involuntarily.
"You… you bitch! You were playing with me!" Kane managed to gasp out through the pain, glaring up at her with hatred and shock.
"Ara, don't be like that, Mr. Kane," Nat said sweetly, backing away with a cruel smile. "It's you who irritated me first with your disgusting device making all that noise. CLINK CLANK CLINK CLANK—so annoying! I just played along with your little game. Clearly, you're the one who started this, so how can I not play back? Right?"
She tilted her head mockingly. "Ah, and just so you know—these clothes are my lover's. You see, Mr. Kane, your precious FIANCÉE has ALREADY SLEPT WITH ANOTHER MAN!!"
Her voice rose, dripping with venomous satisfaction. "HIS COCK WAS SO HARD AND SO MUCH BIGGER THAN YOURS—like comparing a sword to a toothpick! I TASTED IT SO MUCH, SUCKED IT, WORSHIPPED IT! AAH AHHH, IT WAS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING! I DRANK HIS CUM MULTIPLE TIMES, AND MY STOMACH STILL FEELS FULL OF HIM! MY WHOLE BODY HAS BEEN LICKED BY HIM, TOUCHED BY HIM, CLAIMED BY HIM!"
Nat's smile turned savage. "UMM, WHAT A TASTEFUL, DELICIOUS TIME WE HAD TOGETHER! SORRY, MR. KANE, BUT YOUR FIANCÉE HAS ALREADY BEEN COMPLETELY TAKEN BY ANOTHER MAN—HER BODY AND SOUL IS NOT HERS ANYMORE BUT IT BELONG TO MY MAN, MY ZACKKKK!!!"
She backed away further and seductively, mockingly fondled her own breast through the shirt, her movements deliberately provocative.
"THIS BODY NOW BELONGS TO MY LOVER!" she declared loudly, her voice ringing with triumph. "YOUR FILTHY, PATHETIC LITTLE COCK CAN JUST DIE AND ROT! GO USE IT SOMEWHERE ELSE—maybe on someone desperate enough to want it, but I don't think that person exist in your life hehehe!"
Nat smiled with cruel seduction, opening her mouth wide and showing him her tongue provocatively, moving it in an obscene gesture.
"You… you whore! You disgusting bitch! I'll kill you!" Kane roared, struggling to stand up while barely holding back tears of pain. His face was red with rage and humiliation. He lunged toward her, hands outstretched to grab her throat.
SWOOSHH TANK!
A blade suddenly flew through the air between them with deadly precision, embedding itself deep into the wall at the far end of the room. The metal vibrated with the force of impact.
Kane froze mid-step.
Nat's smile turned absolutely cruel. "DON'T YOU DARE JUMP AROUND HERE LIKE THAT, OTHERWISE YOUR BODY WILL GET VERY COLD VERY QUICKLY, MR. KANE!"
Her voice dropped to something dangerous and deadly. "NOW GO. LEAVE. GET OUT BEFORE I CHANGE MY MIND ABOUT GIVING YOU THIS LAST CHANCE! AND TAKE YOUR FILTHY TOOL WITH YOU—AND DON'T YOU DARE EVER USE IT ON ME AGAINNNNN!!!!"
Nat roared, her anger completely dominating the room. Her presence felt enormous, terrifying.
"TSK! Just you wait!" Kane spat out, his voice shaking with rage and pain. He turned and limped away toward the door, moving awkwardly as he clutched his injured groin. "This isn't over!"
"OYE, you bastard," Nat called out coldly, making him stop at the doorway. "Let me be absolutely clear about something. Next time you try to pull something like this with me, I will kill you for sure. I'll cut off that pathetic thing you're so proud of and feed it to the wild animals. Don't think your little Higher Crown title is going to save you forever. Power doesn't make you untouchable."
Her voice was clear, cold, and full of absolute resolve.
Kane stood frozen for a moment, feeling a chill run down his spine.
"Humph. Let's see how much you can speak after your failed attempt at the ceremony," he muttered venomously, trying to salvage some dignity. "When you embarrass yourself in front of everyone, when this city abandoned you then I will see how you can laugh! You'll come crawling back. You'll be mine sooner or later—one way or another."
Kane left without looking back, his hatred and humiliation palpable in the air. The door slammed behind him.
For a moment, the room was utterly silent.
Then:
"...…..AGH!! DISGUSTING! GAAAA! SO DISGUSTING!" Nat suddenly exploded into motion, breaking character completely. "THU THU AAAA! EWW EWW EWW!"
She started jumping around the waiting area wildly, flailing her arms and shaking her whole body like she was trying to physically throw off contamination. "HEY, EXPERT QUEEN GUARD! WHY DIDN'T YOU WAKE ME FROM THAT DISGUSTING TRANCE FAST ENOUGH?! GEEZ! THU THU! I CAN STILL FEEL HIS NASTY HANDS-ON ME! EWWW!"
Nat ran in circles, making exaggerated gagging sounds and scrubbing at her skin with her hands.
SWOOSH!
Suddenly, a woman appeared in the room as if materializing from thin air. She spoke in a low, emotionless voice from behind her mask. "I didn't actually wake you though. I just came fast enough with the counter-tool when I sensed something was wrong, but you had already woken up on your own by then."
"Hmm." Nat stopped her frantic movements and looked at the Expert Queen Guard, who was wearing her usual mask and speaking in that flat, emotionless tone.
"Then… how did I wake up?" Nat asked, genuinely confused. She touched her head, trying to remember. "I don't understand, his disgusting tool should have kept me under longer."
The Expert Queen Guard also looked confused behind her mask. She tilted her head slightly and shook it, indicating she had no idea either.
"Sigghh…" Nat gave up trying to figure it out. "Whatever. It doesn't matter right now. Let's go. I have to take a whole one-hour bath—no, a TWO-hour bath—to remove the disgusting feeling of that bastard touching me! Otherwise, Zack will somehow sense it and kill me!"
Nat ran toward the door in a hurry, practically fleeing the room.
"GAHH! Emmy, don't you dare say anything to ZACK about this, okay!" Nat suddenly grabbed Emmy, who had been waiting patiently outside the door after finishing up her work with Mother Silja. "Promise me! PROMISE!"
"Hm, okay, as you say, Princess," Maid Emmy nodded in confirmation, though her expression was confused. But what should I say? I didn't see anything happen inside! What is she so worried about?
Maid Emmy ran alongside her princess, completely baffled about what on earth could have happened behind that closed door to make Nat act so strangely.
Behind them, Tyra floated along, squeaking contentedly, completely oblivious to the drama that had just unfolded.
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END OF CHAPTER
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AUTHOR BLABBERING
You know how people often say their school or college days were the best time of their lives? I used to think it was just because we had no responsibilities back then — but now I feel it's more than that. Back then, we truly lived in the present. When we played, laughed, or even got into trouble, we gave it our all without worrying about what came next.
But as we grow up, something shifts. Society teaches us to always think five steps ahead — plan, achieve, earn, repeat. And somewhere in all that "planning," we stop really living. We forget the joy of doing small things just for fun, like dropping by a friend's place unannounced or staying up late for a silly reason.
Planning ahead is important, sure — but not at the cost of your present. Balance is the key. Work, study, dream big… but also take time to play, laugh, and enjoy today. Because your younger self didn't have more time — they just used it differently.
So, live a little. Smile a little. The future can wait a moment. 🌙
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