If You Take the Enemy Prince as Your Knight

The feeble protest of my eldest sister, Vivian, was cut off before it could even be completed. With just one sharp glare from the mad emperor, the audience chamber fell into an eerie silence.

As if he had never exuded any hostility toward his daughters, the mad emperor’s expression curved into a mockingly affectionate smile. “Since I have no princes left under my care, I will choose my successor from among you. However, I cannot subject my beloved daughters to the same brutal competition as the princes. After all, I’m a father who cherishes and loves his daughters dearly.”

“…”

“Therefore, this succession contest will take the form of a proxy war. The prisoners you choose will fight in your place.”

The mad emperor’s intentions were obvious. The gladiatorial stage he had orchestrated to humiliate my brothers had also served to reinforce his imperial authority. By providing sensational entertainment to the citizens of the capital, he ensured they would focus on pleasure rather than criticizing his rule.

Bread and circuses. It was an age-old method of keeping the masses ignorant and compliant. And now, he planned to repeat the spectacle using the princesses and their gladiator slaves.

Calling it a contest for the throne was an insult. This was nothing more than a vulgar spectacle, with the imperial throne itself reduced to a mere game prize. I loathed it. I hated the mad emperor, and even his very blood that flowed through my veins.

“Sister Sasha,” Nanaen whispered to me, making sure only I could hear. “Who are you going to pick?”

“…”

“Pick the knight for me too, please. You know I’m not good at this kind of thing.”

“…”

“You’re in a bad mood, huh? Then just tell me yes or no. How about the knight in the front row with the injured left arm? The red-haired one.”

I felt an incredibly strong mana wave from him. It seemed Nanaen’s perception abilities had improved somewhat.

“Do as you wish.”

“Since you’re not stopping me, I guess it’s a good choice. I’ll trust you, Sister.”

Nanaen gracefully lifted the hem of her dress and was the first to step forward. With a bold motion, her delicate finger pointed directly at a young man who still had traces of youth in his features.

“Your Majesty Father, I will take this knight.”

“You are quick to act, Nana.”

“It’s a rare gift from Your Majesty Father. Why would I refuse the opportunity to choose the best?”

At the mention of first-come, first-served, my few sisters grew restless.

“I need to choose mine too.”

“I can’t see the back row very well…”

“Let’s walk around and examine them one by one.”

My sisters began weaving through the five rows of captured knights, inspecting them one by one. At first, some seemed reluctant and cautious, feeling a sense of discomfort. But they soon got used to it. The way they looked and evaluated them wasn’t much different from people shopping in a boutique. One by one, my sisters made their decisions.

“I-I’ve made my choice.” The eldest sister, Vivian, chose a knight who could survive even if surrounded by an entire legion.

“I like this man. If we clean him up and treat his wounds, he might look decent.” My fourth sister, Lilliana, picked a knight capable of wiping a small town off the map.

“This one caught my eye, Your Majesty.”

“Hoo, interesting. What made you choose him, Sehera?”

“He has the fewest injuries. That must be proof of his strength.”

My fifth sister, Sehera, made a poor choice.

The knights chosen by the princesses were immediately freed from their shackles. But beyond that awaited a fate worse than any chain or shackle.

“Look into my eyes.”

The power of the imperial family manifested through their gaze and voice. My sisters locked eyes with their chosen knights and exerted their dominion, forcing an oath of loyalty upon them.

The time it took depended on the knight’s mana, willpower, and the princess’s power. Nanaen took the longest to subjugate hers. By the time she barely completed it, she was drenched in sweat and staggering.

Sehera, who had completed hers with ease, pretended to be concerned and approached Nanaen with a handkerchief. “Oh my, look at all this sweat, dear sister. Was it so exhausting to dominate just one knight?”

“Why are you picking a fight when I’m already struggling…’

“Don’t be too upset! What’s the problem if you’re lacking in ability? As long as the Empire’s Golden Deer looks fragile and pitiful, that’s all that matters.”

“If it weren’t for His Majesty Father being here, I swear…” Forced to maintain her innocent facade in front of father, Nanaen had no choice but to accept Sehera’s feigned kindness and even thank her.

As this nauseating display of sisterly affection played out, Orlette approached me. “You’re not picking one.”

“…”

“Seems like you don’t want to pick a human as if you’re shopping for goods. But delaying won’t change the situation.”

It wasn’t just about selecting a person. It was about choosing someone to be used as a tool and thrown into a death match. I despised being part of this crime.

“Whether it’s for survival or for the succession, you can’t escape this. Think of it as fate and make your choice.”

It might be my fate, but it wasn’t theirs. I couldn’t accept her words at face value, so I kept my mouth shut.

At that moment, something caught my eye. It was like fate itself, just like Orlette had said.

“This one won’t do.”

“He looks like he’ll die soon…”

The knight was examined by my third sister, Gwendellin, and the youngest, Shumel. His condition was pitiful. His body was so covered in bandages that there were barely any unwrapped areas. It was hard to believe he was even standing on his own. Even his eyes were damaged, with bandages covering the upper half of his face. Strands of disheveled white hair stuck out from beneath them. Despite his obscured face and whitened hair, I recognized him immediately.

He’s alive?

My heart pounded. I wanted to get him out of here immediately. I wanted to take him to my chambers where no one could touch him, to keep him safe.

Calm down. Acting rashly would be dangerous.

“Sasha, you’re the only one still standing there. Could it be that you don’t like the gift I prepared for you?”

I had felt the mad emperor’s persistent gaze on me for some time. He was watching me closely. That beast in human skin didn’t just toy with lives. He played with hope, dignity, faith, love, and despair. If I showed any emotional reaction, he would seize upon it as a weakness.

I walked forward with poise and stood before him. “How could that be, Your Majesty? I was merely evaluating them with my senses rather than my eyes.”

“Is that so? I am eager to see your choice.”

Turning swiftly, I walked toward the prisoners. With every step closer to him, my heartbeat grew louder. By the time I reached him, I thought my ribs might crack from the force of it. Even with my tall heels, my eyes barely reached his chin. I gazed up at the bandages covering his eyes.

“I choose this one.”

“What?”

Not only the mad emperor, but my sisters and the imperial knights standing behind him reacted with shock. It was only natural. This man reeked more of death than life. His mana core seemed shattered, and barely any mana emanated from him. But I had an excuse ready to justify my decision.

“I don’t want to make an ordinary choice. If he performs well despite the penalties, it will highlight my own abilities.”

“Hoo?”

“A competition with a twist would be less dull, wouldn’t it, Your Majesty?”

Offering myself as entertainment was the most effective persuasion for the mad emperor, who craved amusement.

“Sasha, I did not expect you to be so ambitious.”

“You flatter me.”

“Now that you’ve raised my expectations so high, can you handle it?”

“I will approach it as if I’m ready to risk my neck.”

Since my life was already at stake, there was no difference in raising the stakes.

“Since my knight has more than a few flaws to fix, may I take my leave first?”

“Granted.”

It was done. No, all that was left was to take him away. I swallowed dryly. Hiding my trembling hand beneath my sleeve, I grasped his wrist.

“Follow me. From now on, you’re mine.”