Chapter 90

To bear a child and establish herself as a solid presence in Xieman.  

At least until Nisha was etched into the minds of the Xieman people as their “queen.”  

She needed to grasp many things, secure many connections, and create countless reasons why she couldn’t be discarded.  

She had to force oil into her lantern so it could keep burning.  

And she had to revive countless lands.  

Continuously replenishing and pouring out her life force.  

If she could be praised as a “queen” in this land and close her eyes, then her life would finally have meaning.  

In a life that had been empty, where not even her name was truly her own, at least the name Katun would remain attached to her.  

If she could be cast into the flames, leaving not a single bone fragment behind in this world, wouldn’t that be enough?  

“How does Xieman honor its ancestors?”  

“Hmm? By engraving their names in the genealogy and on gravestones, and by leaving portraits.”  

Once she had enriched the capital of Xieman, the news would soon reach Roshan.  

‘Would His Majesty and the Empress regret abandoning me?’ 

Or would they curse her as a traitor?  

Well, whichever it was, she knew for certain that it wouldn’t matter much.  

“If only it were night right now.”  

He whispered, entwining his fingers with hers and leisurely pressing a kiss to her forehead.  

At Kagan’s murmured words, Nisha smiled faintly.

His affection, his attention, she didn’t know when they would end, but as long as she remained useful and the satiated predator’s kindness persisted, it wouldn’t be so bad to stay in his embrace for a while.

“Night will come soon enough, won’t it?”

At Nisha’s added comment, Kagan’s eyes widened. He looked at her profile with a puzzled expression before shrugging his shoulders.

“That’s true. For now, how about we fill our princess’s belly?”

Kagan stood up.

‘This should be enough for now.’

He stretched lightly as if shaking off the tension.

After the war with Roshan, once they withdrew their forces, leaving only the minimum number of troops behind, he noticed that other nations started to test their boundaries, thinking Xieman had weakened after such a great war.

It was likely he would need to go on another campaign soon.

They probably believed they could handle things just because they assumed Xieman was vulnerable after the recent conflict. How ridiculous.

In any case, it was fortunate that she seemed to be adjusting well, or else he would have had even more headaches to deal with.

“When will you be able to get the seeds?”

“Hmm, I’m not an expert in plants, but I think I should be able to gather them all within a week.”

“Please do. And, can I sleep alone tonight? I need to recharge my healing powers, just in case.”

At Nisha’s request, Kagan tilted his head slightly, furrowing his brows.

“I understand the toll it takes on you, but skipping meals and resting every time doesn’t seem very healthy…”

“I’m healthy.”

“Your idea of health and mine seem to differ quite a bit.” 

Kagan remarked with a wry smile, shaking his head in disbelief.  

He sighed, then continued.

“Take a few more days off. There’s no rush. We don’t have any inspections planned immediately, and it doesn’t seem wise to keep using that ability so recklessly.”  

“Why?” 

Nisha tilted her head in confusion.  

She couldn’t see why it wouldn’t be a good thing. 

The more she used her power, the more prosperous Xieman would become, which she assumed was exactly what he wanted.  

Nisha slightly tilted her head again and slowly spoke.

“Is it really not okay?”  

The faint disappointment peeking through her expression made Kagan’s shoulders tense.  

Her pale, almost ghostly white face, coupled with her slightly pouting lips—whether she realized it or not—gave him a strange, uneasy feeling.  

With narrowed eyes, Kagan let out a sigh.  

“Alright. At least take two or three more days to rest and recharge. Besides, I’m not sure that ability of yours is entirely normal, so I’ll look into it more.”  

“Look into what?”  

“The cost.”  

Kagan answered briefly.  

Nisha’s shoulders tensed slightly before relaxing again.  

Feigning ignorance, she responded with a calm expression.

“What do you mean…?”

“Even when I asked my mother and father, they both said the same thing, that for such a powerful ability, the price seems too simple.”  

“Losing a day of time… it doesn’t seem that simple… does it?” 

Nisha replied hesitantly.  

Kagan glanced at her before turning to stand by the window, looking out at the verdant parts of the capital.  

“Nisha, do you know what I was taught since I was a child? That nothing given by the gods ever comes with a light price.”

• Author
• Recent Posts

Thymeon

Latest posts by Thymeon (see all)