Regaleon's (POV)

"D-Deborah…?" Duke Destia stood up with eyes wide, shock was drawn on his face.

Deborah was now lying on the cold floor, trying her best to cover her body with her arms and hands.

"Duke, your daughter had made such a grave sin of trying to seduce me." I said with a cold and stern voice. My eyes were fixed at the shivering body of Deborah with such coldness. "Her actions are punishable by death in my kingdom. But because you have been quite a good host, I will spare her life. And so, I dragged her here for you to give her the proper punishment that you will see fit."

Duke Destia was scared speechless of my words. He was quite at a loss.

"Y-Your majesty…" Duke Destia ran towards where I was standing and kneeled before me. "Please forgive my daughter's foolishness." He bowed his head low until his forehead touched the floor.

I looked down at him coldly. "As I have said, what she did to a monarch of Grandcrest kingdom is punishable by death." I saw the duke's body trembled with my words. "But because you have been such a kind host by far, I will spare her life."

"Thank you… thank you, your majesty." Duke Destia's voice was shivering, but his tone sounded as if he was relieved.

"But I cannot just let this slide without any punishment." I said with a cold tone.

"Y-Your majesty…" Duke Destia raised his head to look at me with sorrowful eyes. "I-If so, then I am prepared to put her in house arrest, as long as you see fit your majesty."

I looked at the middle-aged man who was begging for leniency. House arrest is the most lenient punishment I can give to his daughter, but with my experience with foolish girls in the past, I cannot just let her out of the hook. Some of them tend to take revenge if their lives were spared, thus I made the punishment of seducing a monarch is death.

"What happened here?!" Raphael came running out of breath. He saw his little sister completely n.a.k.e.d in the ground and his father kneeling before me. He quickly took of his coat and ran towards his sister to cover her shivering body.

"Your majesty, whatever my little sister has done I will take the blame fully." Raphael knelt before me and bowed his head. "Please spare her your majesty." He begged.

"No need to beg even further sir Raphael." I said while looking down on him. "I have told your father that I will spare her life even though the crime she has committed was punishable by death."

"Thank you, your majesty." Raphael said with a sincere tone and looked up.

"I guess what the duke has stated will be the most punishment I can give right now." I said and sighed. "I heard that lady Destia was to be engaged to the crown prince of Rabansi, if I am not mistaken?"

"Y-Yes, that is true." Duke Destia shivered in fear. "T-This engagement has been approved of King Edward of Alvannia. It is a political marriage that can solidify our ties with the foreign country of Rabansi."

I looked at the shivering Deborah on the floor. Her brother has taken her in his arms, shielding her. She was fortunate to have such a loving brother to protect her. If she did not become so bold and try to seduce me.

Deborah had such courage to try and seduce me, that just means she has the courage to use her looks and try to play with the crown prince of Rabansi in her hands. I do not know the crown prince's disposition, but I cannot let such a foolish woman raise in ranks. Being married to the crown prince of Rabansi means she will be crown princess, and in the future the queen.

'I would like to avoid conflicts with foreign countries in the future.' I thought to myself.

"With your daughter's virtue already broken, she cannot be married to a crown prince now, can she?" I said with a cold look.

Duke Destia's face quickly paled. He knew that what I said was true. A room full of men had seen lady Destia's n.a.k.e.d body. Even if the duke tried to suppress information of what happened here, there will surely be some lose mouths that will start to spread the information. A rumor will surely start, and it will quickly spread.

If the kingdom of Rabansi heard such rumors, they will hold Alvannia accountable for this matter. They can use this as dirty water to splash on Alvannia, stating that they have sent a maiden of broken virtue to be wed to the crown prince. This can start a big conflict, and the ties between the two nations can be broken.

"I am sure you will see that not pushing the engagement forward would be best." I told Duke Destia. "It will be best if she will be wed here in this continent rather than be shipped off to a foreign land."

"I-I understand your majesty." Duke Destia sighed in defeat. "If I can be bold your majesty, would you offer my daughter marriage?" He asked with courage.

I looked at him with anger in my eyes. 'Does he think that just because I was the first one to see his daughter's n.a.k.e.d body, I would just take her as a concubine?' I smiled sinisterly.

"I am afraid that I cannot do such a thing." I said with a cold tone. "If you did not hear the news then I will state it right here and now. The long old custom of taking concubines has been abolished by me when I ascended the throne. My wife will the only woman for me."

The duke was speechless after he heard the words that came out of my mouth. Raphael looked at his sister with a sad face. Maybe they had expected that I will be such a benevolent king and take Deborah under my wing.

'Well I am not that kind.' I thought and scoffed inwardly.

"But I have someone in mine that can be paired to your daughter." I said with a flat tone. "Baron Schrader is a good choice. He is one of my trustworthy vassals in Grandcrest. He is in his early thirties and was not able to find a suitable wife when he was young because of family problems. But now he is quite stable and is ready to take a wife."

"A baron?" Duke Destia was clearly dissatisfied.

"Hear my imperial decree." I said with a full voice of authority. All of the people around knelt after hearing my words. "I will bestow your daughter's hand to Bardon Schrader in marriage. The wedding will be in six months' time. In that six months, your daughter will be in house arrest for the crime he has committed to me, the monarch of Grandcrest."

My imperial decree is something that even the duke cannot ignore. I am sure that he has heard of the plans of unification after the war ends. Once the empire has been established, they know I will be the one to be crowned as emperor.

"I accept your imperial decree, your majesty." The still kneeling duke bowed down.

It was silent after the duke's reply. But then Deborah's cries were heard, resounding inside the dining hall.

My choice of marrying her to one of my loyal vassals is a sure way to keep an eye on her. She may be just a foolish girl now, but who knows what she will become in the future. It was best to keep a close eye on her.

'If I just had my way, I would have killed her here and now.' I thought.

But I quickly crossed out that thought. My wife is in the early stages of pregnancy. I do not know how she will react if she sees an execution.

"That will be all." I said and turned around in haste.

My time has been spent in such nonsense. I am sure that Alicia is waiting for me to come back with the sweets and honey water.

edited by: nalyn

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