Lia's heartbeat was accelerated, she felt chills all over and her hairs stood on end. She felt an unbelievable amount of tension. After weeks of planning and days of implementation, she had finally arrived at the Imperial Palace. She knew it was a crazy plan, but it was the only chance she had, she would win the Throne, and for that she had even endured that trip through the sewers that led them to the surprisingly undefended entrance to the Palace. She would even endure the presence of Delilah a few meters away. If there were any doubts about Delilah's remaining humanity, they were now gone. The girl didn't act like when she was under control of the Matriarch, but the trembling hands and constant mumbling was not normal. She acted like a desperate junkie on the verge of collapsing from withdrawal symptoms, although she could perfectly understand anything that she was told and had killed most enemies they had encountered to this point.

A sudden, scary realization came Lia's mind: Technically, she ran the risk of Frederick simply recalling his forces and crushing her once she confronted him. However, was that really a risk? She could easily see that Delilah standing atop a mountain of corpses, mumbling about some thing or other as she casually slaughtered every single member of Frederick's army. It wasn't impossible. Lia hoped that it would not come to that. If such a thing came to pass, would it even have any meaning to her becoming Empress? Such an event was sure to break the people's spirit. But still... She would do anything, anything at all, to stave off being taken by the Matriarch for even a second. She wouldn't hand over the Throne for any reason whatsoever. Please, brother, don't recall your troops. Accept our duel.

“Damn, is this place empty?”

Chelsea was right to voice that complaint. It was weird. They were now in the lobby, where the Emperor would usually have audiences with people. Not a person was in sight. No guards, no stewards, nothing, nobody. What was going on?

“You know, this is usually how things are during the Great Race.”

A voice boomed from the speakers, a voice that Lia was scarcely familiar, but which she knew to whom it belonged. She had heard the messages and watched the videos.

“Frederick. We meet at last!”

A door was now open, it led to the enclosed space which many Emperors had to used to speak with their subjects in complete safety. Frederick, flanked by an old man and a woman, probably his Shadow and Sword, now stood in that place. Lia and Frederick could clearly see each other, they could clearly talk to each other, but an unbreakable glass stood between them. For the time being they could not touch, much less harm each other.

“You sound like you were looking forward to this! Can't say I was. I would really have preferred a more familiar opponent, you know?”

What was he planning saying something like that from the get go? Was he announcing that he knew she was the worst match for him?

“What do you mean by that?”

Lia couldn't help becoming more cautious. Although that didn't make much of a difference, Chelsea and Franz were both already on guard, ready to protect her at a moment's notice. For his part, Frederick laughed.

“Ahahaha! Eh? What do you mean what do I mean? I mean my words exactly, little girl. Did you spend so much of your childhood with that weasel, Justinian, that you became unable to take a simple phrase at face value?”

His tone showed more than a slight hint of annoyance. As for Lia, she was more than slightly surprised to hear that name come up. She really didn't expect to hear it until she was sitting on the Throne.

“Huh? Where did my big brother's name come from? Wait, what are you implying about him? Weasel? How dare you!”

It angered her, there was nobody else she respected more than Justinian. He had taught her so many things, including what she needed to succeed in this. He taught her how to survive, how to win, how to rule! Frederick's smile widened.

“Oh. So you truly are at least somewhat close. That kind of puts my mind at ease, knowing for sure that you were put up to this by that Weasel. Hey, did he do that to you too?”

He made a gesture that clearly signified sexual relations. Lia immediately blushed so hard she almost felt her face burning. That damn glass! She wished she could take rifle slung on her back and immediately shoot Frederick in his face.

“Bastard! What are you saying? He would never do such an inappropriate thing with me!”

She had to calm down. She shouldn't fall for cheap provocations, as it could be quite dangerous. One mistake and she could get killed at the very end. As for Frederick, strangely it didn't seem like he was saying things as merely provocations.

“Is that so? I see. Oh! I see! You're just a complete pawn to him then. Things are worse then I imagined.”

He turned to the old man next to him and whispered something. The old man nodded and left the room. What was he planning? Lia's feeling of tension rose.

“What is this? Sending your companion ahead to prepare traps or something? Seems a bit unnecessary if you're so confident of your victory.”

Lia intended it as a light provocation, but Frederick pretty much brushed it aside, answering with a complete shocking proposition.

“Hey. Won't you surrender to me? I can pledge to make you a concubine if you want, that's a pretty good guarantee for your safety, right?”

It sounded so completely absurd that it was hard for Lia to formulate a proper response.

“What?”

It wasn't like incest was even something particularly common in the Imperial family. Incest was a taboo in the Empire, it was just that the Imperial Family was that above the rest of the people that such things might be discussed and proposed between them without much consideration for the moral implications. For some reason, the woman beside Frederick didn't look all that happy.

“Hey, I'm not even saying that we'd have to have sex or anything, unless you'd like that I suppose. You see, I'm asking for a surrender, it'd be only natural if I offered something, right?”

Things still didn't make much sense.

“I don't follow you. Why are you even considering this? Didn't you say in that message that you'd crush me?”

Why was he being so cautious? It was mystifying. They were the only ones left. What was he afraid of? Lia couldn't help being confused. Frederick rolled his eyes and sighed, irritated.

“Fuck me. From the little I heard, Justinian was somewhat of a mentor to you. Did he teach you nothing about intrigue or paying attention to things outside the game? Never mind, don't answer. Of course not, you're just a fucking pawn. Listen very closely, it's story-time with big brother Freddy.”

“You may have heard that our father, the previous emperor, was a philanderer, more than that. Some would say he was somewhat of a sexual deviant, though none dared to say it anywhere that it might reach his ears. Although, if such rumors did reach his ears, I don't think he would mind them very much. You see, he was a very irresponsible Emperor. In fact, I am quite convinced that the only reason he even went for becoming Emperor in the first place, being technical, was to be at the top of the sexual desirability hierarchy.

That he was. Someone more versed in the history of the Empire might correct me, but our father is probably the Emperor with the most wives and concubines in the history of the Empire. Maybe since I left the Golden Cage, he may have moved most of his parties and orgies to the main palace. In fact, that may have started as I reached puberty, but I distinctly remember as child that almost every day there was a party of some sort in the Golden Cage.

Why am I telling you this? It's very simple. Justinian, among all of our brothers and sisters, in a twisted way is the most similar to our father. Not that he is an out of control beast that wants to fuck every single human he sees that squats to piss, no, but he is a very manipulative, seductive and charming man. Fucking is just how he marks the people that really matter to him.

Ever since I realized that my siblings were all potential rivals, I started paying very close attention. Some of the pawns he used to indirect torment me and others were disposable, while others seemed almost untouchable. Whenever those in the latter category were caught or met an untimely demise due to their own failure or even pure chance, there would be hell to pay. I saw an entire family wiped out for messing with one of Justinian's lovers. Of course, at the time I didn't know that what set them apart from the disposable pawns was their being Justinian's lovers, I only learned that much later in life, by capturing one such person and interrogating them. Now that I think about it, it was a few rough months of constant attempts on my life after that.

In closing, you might think Justinian has some kind of affection for you. That's nothing but a delusion. He's using you to weaken me. At first, I thought he might try to make you Empress, then rule from the shadows, now i'm not so sure.”

It was a strong pitch. Frederick didn't sound like he was lying. From what Lia had heard, Frederick wasn't the kind of person to lie to or manipulate others. She was sure that everything he told her was true. So she was just a pawn all of this time. Somehow, it affected her less than she thought something like that would. Under most circumstances, a surrender under the conditions presented by Frederick was likely to be very compelling. Even considering Alexander's last wish, Lia might have been able to temper somewhat Frederick's actions. For all intents and purposes, surrendering was probably the best choice. Except, she did not have a choice.

“I'm sorry, but even with all of that, there is a reason that I can't back down. We fight.”

Frederick didn't seem too shocked. Perhaps he was expecting such an answer. In fact, he seemed happy with it.

“I see. Well, I suppose the fact that you're someone capable of giving such an answer makes you all the more worthy of being crushed. Also, one last thing. You do realize that you could have chosen to leave the Golden Cage merely by throwing away your name, right?”

No, she did not. What? Really? It fell on her like a crashing wave. She could have chosen that and not gone through everything? She could be free? No. She could have been free? No strings attached? Her soul would still be hers? Something else surged within her. Something savage. She now knew perfectly how someone could order someone else to be crucified. She showed nothing on her face.

“Of course I knew. Now, prepare yourself. I am coming for you.”

“Do come, I will be waiting in the Throne Room. I will crush you, then take care of that fucking weasel.”

No. He's mine. Lia thought, but did not feel the need to say it. They walked away from the glass, from each other. The last battle was about to start, and no party would show any mercy.