The Third Prince Of Darkness

Later that evening, Evangeline invited me to her room. Initially, this invitation was intriguing in terms of possibilities, but when I stepped into her room, I realized the atmosphere was relaxing and intimate. The warm lighting of the bedroom, combined with its simple yet elegant decor, invited us to a calm conversation.

Evangeline sat in a comfortable chair in the middle of the room and invited me to sit across from her. On the table were two glasses and a bottle of sweet wine. "Tonight, I just want to talk," she said, with a seriousness in her eyes. This seriousness reminded me once again of how deep the bond between us was.

As we slowly sipped our wine, we talked about our experiences, our dreams, and our future plans. As we shared our pasts, we discussed the challenges we had faced and how these challenges had shaped us. I learned a little about the turning points in Evangeline's life and the events that shaped her character. The story behind her strength and determination made her even more impressive.

We also shared our plans for the future, discussing how we would move forward together, the possible obstacles we might face, and how we would overcome them. We talked about our future engagement, alliances, enemies, and the success we aimed to achieve in the end. Above all, we realized that our trust in each other would be our greatest weapon on this journey.

During this conversation, the absence of any physical contact actually allowed us to form a deeper emotional bond. This solidified the foundation of our relationship, which was based on mutual respect and understanding, going beyond mere romance. Being with Evangeline, I felt that agreeing with her or even thinking differently would not harm our bond.

As the hours passed, the wine in the bottle dwindled, but our conversation did not cease. As we understood each other better, I began to feel more comfortable around her. When the night ended, we both knew that our respect and trust for each other had been further strengthened.

That night, there might not have been a romantic moment, but it was an important step in laying the foundation of our relationship. We now had a stronger bond, and I believed that this bond would keep us standing through any challenges we might face in the future.

As Evangeline bid me farewell at the door of her room, she had a satisfied expression on her face. "Thank you for tonight," she said quietly. "It was a conversation I really needed."

I smiled at her as well. "It was the same for me. Now, we understand each other better."

As I left the room, both of us had many thoughts about what the future might hold. But one thing was certain: I had already conquered Evangeline. This was a big step for me. In the end, when I wanted to conquer the entire continent, having an alliance with the princess of the most powerful country on the continent would be incredibly useful, at least in the short and medium term.

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**Two Days Later, Nardow, the Capital of the Tamerid Empire**

When I reached the capital of the Tamerid Empire, I was a bit disappointed. It was not as magnificent as the capital of the Asina Kingdom. However, there was an important reason for this. The capital of the Tamerid Empire was established in the empire's largest city, and therefore, the population of impoverished people in this city was high. In contrast, the capital of the Asina Kingdom was a city founded by the king and naturally grew by the nobility, which made it a more splendid capital. Additionally, the largest city in the Asina Kingdom by population was not the capital.

Fortunately, as I approached the center of Nardow, the capital of the Tamerid Empire, the city became grand enough to rival our capital. The Tamerid capital had both a bay and a strait, making the coastline incredibly beautiful. Additionally, it was one of the largest cities in the continent for maritime trade and indeed had the largest port I had ever seen. As I approached the imperial palace, I truly understood what grandeur meant.

As we got closer to the imperial palace, I realized why the rest of the city paled in comparison. All the splendor of the Tamerid Empire was concentrated in this palace. Massive walls, intricately decorated towers, majestic gates, and gardens—all combined to make the palace not just a government center but also a symbol of power and wealth.

As we neared the palace entrance, the strict security of the military units caught my attention. It was clear in every way how much Tamerid valued the emperor's security. My mind was involuntarily thinking about the decisions I would need to make to capture this city. Of course, I had no such plan, or rather, I no longer had one. After all, Princess Evangeline was in the palm of my hand, but let's assume I wanted to capture this city—what should I do? Immediately, I recalled the brilliant tactic used by a ruler from my old world when attacking a city similar to this one.

Looking back, the fact that I was a history teacher in my old world will definitely be very, very useful in the future. I had already made two original plans to capture the capital of the Tamerid Empire. Anyway, we passed through the inner gates of the palace with brief delay, and our carriage was swiftly let in. After all, I was with Princess Evangeline.

I was certain that many people had seen me help Evangeline out of the carriage by extending my hand. Walking side by side with her across the palace's vast courtyard, I felt the power of the Tamerid Empire with every step. As I stepped onto the palace's stone floor, I pondered the history and grandeur underlying this massive structure.

Soon, I saw Evangeline talking to a servant. Meanwhile, I was still mentally simulating how I would conquer this palace.

"Your Excellency, Prince Ethan," an old man's voice said.

When I turned towards the voice, I saw an elderly man with a white beard, well-dressed. Evangeline had already left, and there was no one around except a knight who had been previously assigned in place of Althea.

"Princess Evangeline has assigned me to serve you," said the old servant.

"Where did the princess go?" I asked.

"She left to meet His Majesty the Emperor and Her Majesty the Empress."he replied.

"Can you take me to my room?" I asked.

"Of course, Your Excellency. Please follow me," said the old servant. We passed through long corridors and finally reached the door of a luxurious room. I thanked him from afar before entering my room. The servants had already brought my clothes from the carriage, but without bothering to change, I lay on the bed and buried my head in the pillow. Tomorrow was Umala's wedding, but I was very tired, so I needed to recharge my batteries. 

---

When I woke up in the morning, I quickly got up and went to the bathroom through the side door. Unfortunately, the steam from the hot water made me grimace, and I reluctantly cleaned myself in the hot water. After a quick bath, I got dressed and went outside. There had been a hunting event in the forest the day before and the day before that. Therefore, this morning was for a feast of the game that had been caught. Since I was with Evangeline, I missed the hunting event, but it wasn't too important.

I prepared for the morning feast and went outside. As I walked through the palace's vast corridors, the splendid paintings on the walls and the details decorated with gold leaf caught my attention. With every step, I felt the wealth and power of this place anew. When I stepped into the garden and saw the assembled crowd, I noticed everyone was eager to enjoy the morning's hunt.

In the garden, various foods and drinks spread out on large wooden tables dazzled the eye. About five dozen people were laughing and chatting. The nobles and soldiers of Tamerid took their places at the tables with their usual confident demeanor. At that moment, I spotted Princess Evangeline in the crowd. She was cheerfully talking with a group of nobles, but as soon as she noticed me, a slight smile appeared on her face. She approached me and signaled for me to join her.

"I hope you’ve managed to shake off the fatigue from the night" she said, with a hint of curiosity in her eyes.

"Yes, I’m quite well" I replied, surveying the surroundings and absorbing the atmosphere.

As Evangeline spoke with me, she also attended to those around her. Her diplomatic skills impressed me once again. The respect everyone showed her demonstrated that she was not only a princess but also a leader. Meanwhile, Evangeline made eye contact with me and subtly indicated a man sitting in the distance. It was undoubtedly the Emperor of the Tamerid Empire.

"My father wants to meet you" she said in a low voice.