RennerAs the great doors of the royal audience chamber closed with a dull thud, Renner Theiere Chardelon Ryle Vaiself remained perfectly still upon her throne-like chair. Her hands, still folded over her lap in a display of practiced grace, did not tremble. Her breathing was calm. Her expression—warm, composed, serene.
But her mind moved like a blade drawn in shadow.
She waited until the last echo of footfalls faded beyond the marble corridor before she exhaled. Not a sigh—Renner did not sigh. It was a soft, silent release of tension. The kind that came when one accepted defeat without conceding the war.
So... the bonds have already formed too deeply.
She had seen it clearly. The subtle glances between Alex and the others—especially Evileye. The way Clementine moved protectively near him, how Solution hovered just behind him like a blade in disguise, and how even the taciturn twins, Tia and Tina, stole glances his way with what might have been interest... or something more dangerous.
They trusted him. Admired him. Followed him.
More importantly, he trusted them.
And not her.
Renner’s delicate fingers slowly curled atop the silken fabric of her gown. Her smile remained even as she stared blankly at the parchment Lakyus had delivered. The wax seal lay shattered on the marble like a fallen crown.
All that effort... all those well-timed invitations, the conversations meant to unravel him gently, the moments of vulnerability I offered. And he still drifts beyond my reach.
But it wasn’t jealousy that stirred in her chest—it was hunger.
Renner did not crave love. Not in the traditional sense.
She craved possession.
To own something so powerful, so unpredictable, so uniquely his own—to bring Alex into her world, under her rule, where she could study him, mold him, break and rebuild him as needed...
That was a fantasy worthy of obsession.
Renner rose slowly, her gown whispering across the polished floor.
The princess walked toward one of the tall windows, gazing out over the capital. The sun was beginning to descend, casting long, golden shadows over the rooftops. She imagined Alex somewhere below—among the crowds, perhaps heading toward an inn or the Guild. Unaware of the net being woven anew.
You’ve built your own paradise of trustworthy pieces, Alex. But I only need one opening...
She would change tactics. No more overt interest. No more invitations.
She would let others stumble, misstep. Let the group falter under pressure—slowly, subtly. Let doubts form. Let danger creep close again.
And when they failed him, she would be waiting. The only hand extended in true understanding.
Renner’s lips parted into a soft, almost wistful smile.
"Next time," she whispered to herself, "you’ll come to me. Not as a hero. But as someone with nowhere else to turn."
And this time, she would not let him go.
•••
The stars were quiet witnesses as I stood on the balcony of the royal palace, the wind brushing past my coat. Getting here hadn’t been difficult—Re-Estize was full of cracks and blind spots, and I’d exploited them all. I wasn’t here to steal, after all. Just to have a long-overdue conversation.
Renner sat at a table beneath a canopy of ivy and moonlight, a book in her hand and a calm smile on her lips. She didn’t even flinch when I approached from the shadows.
"You know," I said, "I always preferred Robin Hood over the prince. But tonight, I’m neither here to steal nor save."
She glanced up, composed as ever. "Alex. What a surprise. Climbing walls now? Should I be flattered or worried?"
"Neither. Just wanted to talk—before things go where we both know they will."
She tilted her head, still pretending. "Go where?"
"Drop the act, Renner," I said quietly. "I know who you are. The real you. The one who doesn’t blink when blood spills. The one who manipulates lives like pieces on a board."
The smile twitched at the edge of her lips, but she held it. "You think so poorly of me."
"No, actually—I think you’re brilliant," I replied, stepping closer. "Terrifying, yes. But brilliant."
Her eyes sparkled. "Then become mine, Alex. Leave those women behind. Clementine. Solution. They’re dangerous, yes, but you’re beyond them. With me, you can have anything you want."
I laughed, short and sharp. "They’re not the only ones, Renner. And if I ever betrayed them for you? They’d tear this kingdom apart. Burn it to ash just to find you."
For a moment, the mask cracked. She didn’t why, but the word said by Alex felt real.
"So instead," I said, my voice calm, "why don’t you become mine?"
She blinked. "I’m a princess of Re-Estize."
"And I’m a King."
She narrowed her eyes. "Of which kingdom?"
I smiled. "Nazarick."
The name hung in the air like a loaded crossbow bolt.
"I’ve never heard of such a kingdom," she said slowly.
"Because it doesn’t exist in this world."
Her expression faltered for the first time. The realization was creeping in now—there were depths to me she hadn’t calculated for. Threats and promises that didn’t follow her rules.
Renner leaned back in her chair, closing her book. "You’re not what I expected."
"So why did you come to this world?" she asked, her tone suddenly lighter, almost playful.
"Would you believe me if I said I came for you?" I replied with a chuckle, not expecting her to take the bait.
She didn’t flinch. "No, but it’s a good line."
Then her expression shifted—sharp, seductive, dangerous. "If everything you say is true, if you’re really beyond this world... then prove it."
I raised a brow. "Prove it how?"
She stood up, walking toward me with that calculated grace only royalty—or predators—could manage. "If you truly are what you say... then take me. Right here. In this castle. In this room."
I said nothing.
"Guards are stationed outside these very walls," she continued, her voice a soft whisper laced with steel. "If they hear a sound, or even suspect something improper has occurred, you’ll be caught. A scandal of this magnitude? The court would demand blood to preserve the royal family’s honor."
She stopped right in front of me, lifting her chin. "Two outcomes. You’re executed for defiling a princess... or forced into marriage under the law of honor. Either way, you become mine."
Clever. Very clever. It didn’t take a genius to see this was a trap. If I hesitated, she’d take it as proof that I was lying. If I accepted and was caught, she’d win either way.
I looked into her eyes. She still didn’t believe anything I’d said. Not about Nazarick, not about who I truly was. This was her way of forcing control back into her hands.
But she’d made one mistake.
She challenged me.
I smiled slowly, the kind that sent shivers down spines. "So, this is your move. High risk, high reward."
"Are you afraid?" she whispered, eyes gleaming.
"Afraid?" I echoed, stepping forward until I loomed over her. "No. But you should be."
She drew in a sharp breath.
"Because once I accept," I said, brushing a hand gently along her cheek, "you’ll never belong to anyone else."
~~~
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