The carriage moved slowly along the bumpy dirt road. Inside, the only sounds were the soft crunch of wheels over gravel and the two passengers' conversation, kept so low it was barely audible.
Princess Kete clutched her skirt tightly, her eyes slightly red, her voice as faint as a breeze:
"Now that Father has passed away... all the pressure has fallen on us."
Prince Kete sat opposite her, his fingertips tapping his knee unconsciously, a heaviness beyond his years in his eyes:
"Yes. When Father was alive, we never had to think about anything. We lived without a care. But now that he's gone... I just feel as though there are bad people watching us hungrily everywhere in this world. We have to tread carefully with every step, securing our position as we go."
The princess lowered her head, her voice trembling slightly:
"Brother, I'm so scared."
"Don't be afraid." Prince Kete took a deep breath and straightened his back, his tone carrying an almost tragic resolve.
"I'll keep the Kote Royal Clan standing until the very last moment. I'm already a seventh-level peak warrior. Just give me another six months, a year at most, and I'll reach the eighth level."
The princess raised her head, tears glistening in her eyes, but nodded firmly:
"Yes! You can do it, Brother. I believe in you."
She fell silent for a moment, as though she had made some decision, her voice so soft it nearly faded into the air:
"But... if the chancellor keeps pressuring us when we return, if he insists on forcing us to yield... if it really comes to that, and I need to be sacrificed, I agree."
The prince's head snapped up. "You-"
"Marry me off for an alliance." The princess smiled faintly, but that smile was more