Dragon King's Harem Chapter 466. Diplomatic
Dragon King's Harem Chapter 466. Diplomatic There was a brief pause. Her fingers folded together lightly in front of her, but her voice rema
Dragon King's Harem Chapter 466. Diplomatic
There was a brief pause. Her fingers folded together lightly in front of her, but her voice remained clear.
“I follow my father’s will,” she said smoothly. “And my duty to the Witch Tribe.”
Diplomatic.
Smart.
But not an answer.
“I didn’t ask what your duty says,” I replied quietly. “I asked if you agree.”
Her eyes met mine again. This time, no smile.
“I came here willingly,” she said softly. “Because I believe alliances are forged not just by treaties, but by the strength of those who lead them. If you are who you appear to be…”
She paused just enough to let the weight settle.
“Then yes—I do not object.”
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
The tension hummed like a drawn bowstring between us.
Then Callum’s voice cut through once more, light, like smoke through the cracks.
“Then perhaps… a private conversation would serve you both better.”
He leaned back comfortably. “Get to know each other. No formalities. No titles.”
I exhaled slowly.
Of course.
He was playing long. Planting roots. Testing reactions. And every move was polished like he’d practiced it for years.
I finally nodded, eyes still on Thiphania.
“Very well.”
Thiphania dipped her head again. “Whenever you’re ready, Your Majesty.”
As she stepped forward, her gown whispering against the polished marble, I allowed myself one thought—buried, bitter, and amused.
‘This isn’t a marriage proposal.’
‘This is a negotiation disguised as seduction.’
Her steps were slow, deliberate, like a dancer who already knew the choreography of political courtship far too well. The faint scent of her perfume floated ahead of her—a subtle mix of frost lotus and something darker underneath. Not overwhelming. Not cloying. Just enough to remind me that even her scent was calculated.
But I raised my hand. Calm. Firm.
“Halt.”
She stopped immediately, freezing mid-step. Her head tilted slightly, but she didn’t speak. Just watched me with those sharp violet eyes.
I let the silence hang for a few seconds before speaking again. My voice was flat, almost cold.
“I never said now.”
The room shifted. Tension rippled like a quiet undercurrent between us.
“We are still standing on the ashes of a civil war,” I continued. “And you expect me to sit here… and chat with your daughter like nothing’s happened?”
My words weren’t loud. But they landed.
The servants nearby froze. Even Jyne’s hands paused for a brief second before she resumed pouring my drink.
Callum’s lips curled again. Not offended. Not surprised.
Amused.
He exhaled through his nose, voice light, but sharp beneath the silk.
“You have your wife,” he said, glancing toward Jyne casually as if speaking about weather. “I didn’t see your other wife since you interrupted the marriage, though.”
The way he said other wife was loaded. Deliberate. Like he wanted to test where my patience cracked.
I didn’t blink.
“You don’t need to worry about her,” I replied. “She has her own mission.”
“Ah.” Callum nodded slowly, as if savoring the reply like aged wine. “Pretty resourceful.”
I could feel Al tensing behind me again. His eyes were probably burning holes through Callum’s skull right now. But I kept my focus forward.
Callum gestured with two fingers, smooth and graceful. “Thiphania.”
At his signal, she stepped back without protest and took her seat beside him. A perfect, obedient move, but her eyes—her eyes never broke away from mine. Not for a second.
Like she was still measuring every breath I took.
Or maybe trying to intimidate me.
Either way… she wasn’t blinking first.
She folded her hands neatly in her lap. Her voice was gentle now, but beneath it, I could feel the steel laced through.
“But perhaps we can still talk like this,” she offered, her tone polite but laced with subtle challenge.
I allowed a small exhale through my nose. “Then talk.”
I leaned back slightly in my chair, letting my fingers tap once against the armrest, blood still crusted faintly along my knuckles.
“Though I might not be in the mood to answer every question,” I added, voice dropping lower. “I’m still high on the adrenaline of killing. And I still have blood stains on my hands.”
That last part wasn’t just words.
The dark patches on my gloves and the dried streaks across my forearms were proof enough. I hadn't even bothered to fully clean myself after the courtyard. No one here needed to forget what just happened outside.
Thiphania’s eyes flicked briefly to my hands before returning to my face. Her lips curved just slightly.
“Blood is an honest color, Your Majesty,” she said softly. “At least it shows where you’ve stood.”
I raised an eyebrow at that. Not the answer I expected. Clever.
Callum chuckled behind his cup. “She has a certain talent for reading people.”
“Oh, I can see that,” I said dryly. “Though I suspect it’s not always reading. Sometimes… it’s calculating.”
Thiphania smiled but didn’t deny it. Smart girl.
She shifted her tone slightly, keeping the conversation fluid, smooth. “I imagine your days have been… heavy lately.”
“That’s one way to put it.”
“To carry the weight of one empire while standing on the edges of another,” she said. “You wear many crowns, Dragon King.”
Her words were carefully chosen. She was poking. Testing how much of a future player I intended to be in the snow elf court.
“Crowns are heavier than they look,” I said simply. “You’ll understand that someday.”
“I hope so,” she replied without missing a beat. “After all, that’s why my father wants this conversation.”
Callum’s grin widened like a spider watching its web hold firm.
“I simply wish for her to learn, Your Majesty. To listen. To observe.”
I let the words hang between us for a moment, my fingers lightly tapping again, echoing soft clicks in the tense quiet.
Thiphania leaned forward just a fraction. “Is it true you revived a man who was dead for more than a few minutes?”
There it was.
The real question underneath all this dressing.
I gave a small smile. “You’re very direct.”
“I prefer clarity,” she said softly. “Rumors spread. But I like to hear truth directly.”