The Second Empress sighed in relief when she heard that. She sounded much happier as she continued, "By the way, the Peacock Wise King has been looking for a chance to nullify the contract between his daughter and the crown prince. He thought about letting her marry your majesty, as that would not be too bad of a choice."
"That way, she would still be the new empress and there would be no difference, so I agreed. Do you know the real reason I agreed, though?"
When he saw her playful expression, Sharky thought, You're a married woman for better or for worse; why do you act like a young girl sometimes?
Sharky opened his eyes slowly, his gaze calm yet sharp, the faint reflection of golden flame dancing within them.
"Why did you agree then?" he asked, his tone neither curious nor teasing — just composed, like a ruler listening to court matters.
