Chapter 661: Princesses.

Rasmus sat among the guests, and he couldn’t ignore the stolen glances pointed in his direction. It wasn’t only because of him and his sudden entrance but also because of Aris and Rullein that sat on either side of him. However, what had occupied his mind was the private meeting that happened in the building behind him, where Anastasha and Neesa were.

The tournament had yet to start, and everyone couldn’t help but to wonder what was happening inside the building that was heavily guarded by the most elite guards in the whole empire. Everyone in the courtyard was martial artists, most of them were experts or even higher. They could tell how strong the imperial guards were, and they knew that the imperial family had their own martial arts that were said to be superior to the martial arts of every clan in the empire.

Rasmus listened to the murmurs and whispers of the guests around him, receiving information about the Imperial Princess. He hadn’t done any research about the imperial family because he barely understood the reality that the people lived in the empire. He found out that Imperial Princess Neesa lived up to every praise she received.

The truth was Neesa still didn’t have a partner in life even though she had passed the age of marriage. The reason was quite fascinating for Rasmus, and it was because nobody had never been able to defeat her in a martial art duel. Neesa herself stated that she didn’t care from which background her future partner came from, she only cared for their abilities and capabilities. With that being said, she only requested all of her future husband’s candidates to accept the three trials she had prepared for them. The first trial was knowledge and literature, the second trial was personality and behavior, and the last trial was a sacred duel between her and her future husband’s candidates. However, there was also a consequence for each candidate if they failed the trials, and it was that they had to pay her a hundred horses.

"Is the rumor true?" A middle-aged man asked the other guest, who seemed to be a close friend.

"It’s not an exaggeration that she has defeated more than a thousand candidates since she announced her desire for a spouse when Her Imperial Highness was fifteen. I have a friend in the official in the capital city and it’s the truth," the friend nodded.

"A hundred thousand horses..." The middle-aged man baffled as he sat straight, feeling the tense on his back to imagine how terrifying and skilled Neesa was.

At the same time, Anastasha and Neesa sat at the round table, small enough for both of them to be able to reach each other’s throats. There was nothing at the table, no food and no drink because formality was unnecessary when they were about to crush each other.

"You know exactly why I came all the way here for you? I hope you do because it would be so disappointing for someone like you to be so... dull," Neesa narrowed her eyes, still wearing the head chain with a veil that covered her face.

"Dull? Want to give it a try then? Stay still and let me cut that throat of yours," Anastasha smiled with her eyes as she let her hand fan cover the lower half of her face.

"So hostile," Neesa scoffed with a condescending smirk painted on her face. "I’m not surprised since you’re an Asghar. A bunch of uncultured swines," she pointed out.

"Still better than a bunch of hypocrites that call themselves the imperial family," Anastasha scoffed. "Calling me hostile when you’re the one who plans to expand your empire," she raised her brows and stared back at Neesa with the same condescending look.

"Hypocrites? At least we didn’t stab others in the back like cowards," Neesa’s right hand reached the back of her head and unhooked her head chain, letting it fall and reveal her face. "Stay in the shadow like rats because soon enough, there won’t be enough shade for you to hide in. And we will exterminate the rats once and for all," she put her head chain and veil on the table. ℯℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

"Hmm, I can’t wait to see how bright you think you are before you catch yourself on fire," Anastasha folded her hand fan and put it on the table.

The room became quiet, eerily too quiet because of the array formation that the imperial guards created to block anyone from eavesdropping. Anastasha and Neesa stared at each other dead in the eye with no sign of warmth in them.

"You took an official document, a specific document that registered the lives of a certain group of people," Neesa broke the silence and stared into Anastasha’s green eyes. "That’s a violation by itself and I can report this matter to the Emperor and have your head displayed on the border gate," she pointed out.

"You mean this?" Anastasha pulled out the register book that recorded the names and the current population of the Demonic Cult. "You mistook borrowing for stealing. I didn’t steal this, Registrar Cyuren gave it to me," she put the book down, easy enough for Neesa to take it away from her. "If you unjustly beheaded me, the rivalry between my siblings for the throne will be gone, and their sole purpose is no longer to control the continent, but to get rid your beloved empire," she crossed her hands and lapped her leg over the other.

"That’s hilarious coming from you when you boldly stated you wanted to burn your house down. You treasure your own life more than your family. You want that throne, not your siblings," Neesa leaned in and rested her elbows on the table and rested her chin on the back of her hand. "Surely you haven’t forgotten that the empire rivalry with the kingdoms of sultans can be put aside as long as it has something to do with erasing the Asghar family from this land," a cold smile slowly formed on her lips. "Not to mention, I can easily convince your siblings that your death is benficial for them. I know your family just like you know mine," she added with her brows arched.

"I’m not that dull enough to not anticipate that, Imperial Princess," Anastasha crossed her arms on the table. "Not even God of Death can take my life away right now. I’m invincible when I have them," she pointed out.

Neesa narrowed her eyes slightly, knowing the people Anastasha mentioned. She glanced at the closed window, thinking about Rasmus, Aris, and Rullein, the three existences that had caused massive changes in other continents. She wasn’t blind enough to not know how dangerous they were, in fact, she knew that she couldn’t carelessly do anything in front of them.

"You and I aren’t that different. What if I convinced them to change side? I believe Count Blackheart wouldn’t find it... inconvenient," Neesa tilted her head and stared at Anastasha once again.

Anastasha suddenly burst into laughter when she heard how confident Neesa was. She didn’t care about mannerisms, she found it hilarious that for the first time she couldn’t hold her reaction. As the laughter subdued and turned into a soft chuckle, she wiped the single tear with her knuckle as she shook her head.

"You want them to change side? Give it try, but I must warn you, Imperial Princess," Anastasha paused to clear her throat. "Are you willing to burn everything down so he would stand beside you?" She asked with an arrogant smirk on her face.

Neesa stayed quiet even when Anastasha asked the question because it was too ambiguous even for her to answer. She then watched Anastasha shift her sitting position, seeing the relaxed and leisured in Anastasha’s shoulders and demeanor.

"Because I am, Imperial Princess," Anastasha smiled coldly.

Neesa had seen that look, too often to even doubt it anymore. It was the look of someone who had nothing to lose, someone who had walked beyond what no civilized and rational people dared to go. She finally realized what Cyuren said that Anastasha planned to destroy her own family, but back then she didn’t understand why. Now, she finally understood why Anastasha willingly chose to do that.

"You have changed, Princess Anastasha," Neesa’s voice suddenly turned cold and serious, just like her gaze.

"Changed? People don’t change, we adapt for the better or worse," Anastasha responded. "I’m not that meek and weak Princess you saw back then," she warned.