An Unexpected Proposal-Chapter 8: That Wasn’t Enough

March 30, 2020.

"I suppose the only thing you want from me is death."

Cabelenus's face visibly twisted. He stared at Alicia as if trying to pierce through her, then finally ran a rough hand through his hair. Everything was perfect—everything except for that woman.

"...Is death truly the only thing you desire from me?"

His voice, leaking through clenched teeth, carried an uncharacteristic trace of urgency.

"You don’t need to concern yourself. I’m truly fine."

But what he received in return was a reply utterly devoid of desire.

"...It would have been better if you were the seductress they claim you to be."

Cabelenus murmured weakly, pressing his fingers against his forehead. If Alicia had really been the wicked woman people whispered about—one who abandoned her own parents and siblings in pursuit of wealth and power—then perhaps he wouldn’t feel this way. He could have bound her with those very things. But Alicia was nothing like that. She had nothing, wanted nothing.

"I shouldn’t have let her live from the start... No. No, that’s not it."

Killing Alicia was no longer an option. Though he was frustrated by how his daily life had unraveled into chaos, Cabelenus couldn't bring himself to regret sparing her. He let out a hollow laugh as he stared into her faded gray eyes. Deep down, he had already known. No matter how many dresses tailored precisely for her were placed on her body, it wouldn't change a thing.

No matter how many thick, jewel-encrusted necklaces, earrings, and rings were piled onto her—no matter how much he adorned her—she always looked out of place. Though they were undeniably hers, she never looked comfortable wearing them. She appeared like someone who had stolen another’s garments, always anxious and uneasy.

Even those without desires, when constantly surrounded by luxury, should eventually develop some greed. But Alicia was different. She knew how to restrain herself to an extreme degree.

That unsettled him.

A person with nothing could leave at any time.

Knock, knock.

A sudden knock on the door pulled Cabelenus from his thoughts. He furrowed his brows slightly and turned toward the door.

"May I enter, Your Highness?"

"Come in."

"I have brought the list you requested."

Gajev walked straight to Cabelenus without sparing Alicia a glance. By now, the sight of them dining together was nothing unusual to him.

"What happened with the carriage that departed from Schwarhan?"

"If there are no complications, it should arrive by tomorrow."

"Good. It's not as delayed as I feared."

After reviewing the documents Gajev handed him, Cabelenus immediately stood up. He was about to leave but suddenly turned back toward Alicia.

"Why are you just standing there? Follow me."

She had wondered, just for a moment, if he would leave her behind—but of course, he didn’t. Carefully, Alicia rose from her seat. She took precisely three steps, neither too far nor too close, maintaining a measured distance as she followed behind him.

"There are more vagrants than I expected. We’ll need to send another round of supplies. Make sure to organize the carriages quickly and send them back. And, of course, double-check the inventory and list of goods."

"I will take care of it immediately."

"When distributing supplies, do not give them away for free. They must pay something, no matter how small."

"Understood."

Though she hadn't intended to, Alicia couldn’t help but overhear their conversation as she followed behind them. Yet, there was no place for her to interject, so instead, she let her gaze wander, taking in the surroundings.

Neuschwein's climate was warm, allowing flowers to bloom in the gardens all year round. Just walking through them was pleasant.

"Alicia Neuschwein."

Whenever she slowed down, allowing the distance between them to grow, Cabelenus would call her name. His voice was level, nearly devoid of inflection, yet strangely captivating. Sometimes, she deliberately slowed her steps just to hear him say it again.

Cabelenus was irritated by her lack of desire, but Alicia simply had no need to want anything.

She enjoyed walking behind him.

For Cabelenus, it was merely time spent moving from one place to another. But for Alicia, it meant something else entirely.

For that brief time, she could watch him as much as she wanted, and no one would reprimand her for it.

She could watch his broad back.

She could step where he stepped.

She could hear her name spoken by him.

That was enough for her.

—Even if the man she followed had no idea.

***

"Did you find out what I asked?"

"Yes, Your Highness. I investigated as per your orders."

This chapter is updat𝓮d by freēnovelkiss.com.

Gajev handed him a cylindrical container. Cabelenus immediately opened it and retrieved the document inside. The paper contained information on Alicia, the youngest princess of Neuschwein.

"There's less information than I expected."

His gaze stopped midway through reading. He didn’t even need to go further—there was too little information, even considering the short time available for investigation.

"My apologies. I gathered as much as possible, but this was the limit for now."

Gajev quickly bowed his head in response to his superior’s dissatisfaction. Incomplete information was a disgrace to someone as thorough as him.

"I didn’t think information about her would be so classified."

"The other princesses weren’t, but the youngest princess of Neuschwein was... special."

Gajev hesitated for a moment, carefully gauging Cabelenus’s reaction.

Slaves were considered mere objects—there was no need to be mindful of their titles. But Alicia was different. Everyone knew she was his woman, and the extent to which he paid attention to her meant Gajev had to tread carefully.

"What do you mean by ‘special’?"

"The princess is not a pure-blooded Neuschwein."

"That much is obvious just by looking at her."

Cabelenus’s brow arched.

Neuschwein was an insular kingdom, deeply obsessed with blood purity. They persecuted those with different appearances.

Among a people who all looked the same, Alicia stood out. It wasn’t difficult to guess that she wasn’t of pure royal lineage.

"That’s not the only reason I bring it up. I mention the princess’s heritage because there’s something suspicious about it."

"What is suspicious? Royal bastards aren’t exactly a rare issue."

"She’s not an illegitimate child. The issue lies with her mother."

Taking a deep breath, Gajev quickly continued.

"The woman the King of Neuschwein brought back from a foreign land in his youth—that much is well known as the truth about the youngest princess’s mother. But upon investigating further, I found that no one actually knows anything else about her. Some rumors claim she was a prostitute, a mercenary, or a dancer, but those are just that—rumors. Moreover..."

Gajev furrowed his brows.

When Cabelenus first ordered him to investigate Alicia, he had assumed it would be a simple task. But no matter how much time passed, the inquiry into the fallen princess made little progress. It wasn't due to his incompetence. Even considering that Alicia had never been treated with the dignity of a proper princess, the lack of information about her was abnormally severe—especially concerning her mother. It was as if someone had deliberately erased her from existence.

"Do you have anything interesting to tell me?"

Cabelenus leaned against his armrest, resting his chin in his hand, his expression slightly tilted with amusement.

"On the day the princess was born, every person connected to her mother was massacred."

"Now that is interesting. Tell me more. Was it murder?"

"At first glance, it seemed like a mass suicide, but based on the circumstances, it was more likely a cover-up for murder."

Perhaps he should have noticed something was wrong the moment he first saw Alicia in her wretched state. Just like her unusual first impression, the youngest princess of Neuschwein was anything but ordinary. The more he tried to dig into her past, the more he found nothing—just as it often happened with things deliberately buried.

"Murder disguised as suicide. That means someone actively covered it up."

"Yes. That seems to be the most plausible explanation."

Gajev nodded without hesitation.

"Was it the Queen of Neuschwein?"

The crumpled piece of paper in Cabelenus’s hand slipped to the floor. For all the effort put into gathering intelligence, the information in his hands was utterly unsatisfying. Rather than uncovering Alicia’s past, it read more like a record of the atrocities committed against her by the Neuschwein Queen. It explained things—why Alicia had scars on her thighs, why she froze at the mere mention of a separate palace—but none of it answered his true questions.

Cabelenus remained outwardly calm, but his sharp gaze burned with rage. If the Neuschwein Queen hadn't already met her fate at the guillotine, he might have torn her apart with his own hands.

"I suspected the Queen as well, so I investigated separately. But it wasn’t her."

Noticing his master’s growing irritation, Gajev quickly shook his head and shifted the topic. Lately, his lord’s emotions had become more visible. Provoking him needlessly would bring no benefit.

"Then who concealed the truth?"

"Most likely, the King of Neuschwein himself."

"The King of Neuschwein?"

Cabelenus attempted to recall the man’s face but quickly abandoned the effort. He was not one to remember people’s faces. What he did remember was the pitiful wretch who had begged for his life, offering up his kingdom, treasures, and even his own daughter in exchange for survival.

"The King of Neuschwein was not of the royal bloodline. He was a consort brought in to marry the then-princess, who later became the Queen. Naturally, that meant he lived under her shadow and had little power of his own."

"A king who couldn't even hold his own position? Pathetic."

Cabelenus clicked his tongue in disdain.

"Yes. But what’s interesting is that at a certain point, his behavior completely changed."

"Changed? In what way?"

"Originally, he was entirely submissive to the Queen. The royal family and the high nobility all supported her, leaving him powerless. But one day, the situation flipped—he became the one in control, leading the kingdom instead of the Queen."

Gajev handed Cabelenus another document—an excerpt from the history of the Neuschwein dynasty. Further investigation was necessary, but even now, certain suspicions had begun to take shape.

"Does the timing match what I think it does?"

Cabelenus's eyes gleamed in the dim light, predatory and sharp.

"Yes. The King of Neuschwein gained power right after the youngest princess’s mother entered the royal palace."

"That’s far too convenient to be a coincidence."

"Which is why I intend to investigate further."

Gajev handed him another book.

"What’s this?"

"A history of the Neuschwein royal family."

"You think the answer lies in here?"

Cabelenus narrowed his eyes.

"I plan to cross-reference the princess’s history with the King’s actions. There are still too many missing pieces, but if my suspicions are correct, then the youngest princess of Neuschwein may not be who we think she is."

"What do you mean by that?"

"I’ll explain once everything becomes clearer."

A grin crept onto Gajev’s lips. At first, he had seen this assignment as nothing more than an extension of his usual duties—investigating a fallen princess. But the deeper he dug, the more intriguing the secrets surrounding her became.

"Anything else?"

"...My apologies. Aside from what I’ve already reported, I need more time to gather additional information."

Gajev bowed his head even lower. Even if he had found a lead, it meant nothing unless he uncovered the full truth. So far, he had failed to deliver concrete results.

But instead of berating him, Cabelenus fell silent, deep in thought. Gajev was one of the most competent subordinates he had ever chosen, someone he had kept by his side for a long time. If even he struggled to dig up information, then this matter was far more complicated than Cabelenus had anticipated.

Perhaps Alicia carried a secret far greater than he had imagined.

"It’s fine. We still have time. But don’t disappoint me next time."

"Understood, Your Highness."

"Use whatever resources necessary—time, money, anything. I don’t care what methods you use."

Bring me what I want. That’s all that matters.

With an arrogant smirk, Cabelenus slowly stroked his chin.

From Alicia’s behavior alone, it was obvious that she had not lived an easy life.

But that wasn't enough.

It wasn't her origins that interested him. It wasn’t her mother’s identity, nor what kind of person she had been.

If he was going to ensure that Alicia never strayed from him—

He needed to know more.