Her imperial brother's departure now was by no means a sign that he was leaving them to their own devices. He had likely gone to mobilize the powerful experts hidden within the palace, preparing for every eventuality.
If Dai Youheng refused to sign-she scarcely dared imagine the consequences.
Chaotic thoughts surged through her heart like a rising tide. Her feelings for Dai Youheng were real; the longing that had accumulated over two years could not be faked.
But her responsibilities as an imperial princess and her worries over the royal family's future weighed even more heavily on her heart, almost suffocating her.
Dai Youheng was growing too quickly, beyond anyone's expectations or control, so quickly that it inspired fear.
She believed he loved her now. But what about the future? When he soared into the heavens and his strength surpassed the entire Empire, how much of that love would remain? Power could corrode even the firmest will. Her imperial brother had taught her that lesson since childhood.
Love required courage, while rulership-required insurance.
In the end, the princess's reason and the responsibilities she bore utterly overwhelmed her personal feelings.
She drew a deep breath, her nails almost digging into her palms, using the pain to keep her head clear as she made her decision. Besides, she worked so hard to reassure herself, the Star Crown Pact would do him no harm. As long as he never betrayed her, the pact would be his greatest aid, allowing him to share the Star Crown's cultivation speed and gain powerful skills.
And she would give him her one and only opportunity in this lifetime to forge the pact. From then on, her body and heart would be bound to him alone. Was that not an even deeper promise, a loving recompense?
Yes, recompense.