C66 A Ride With The Devil

And then, following just a step behind him Lucilia. Aurelia almost scoffed aloud. Lucilia Belmont.

She had read about the woman. A former… well, that part didn't matter. What mattered was why she was here.

Lucilia walked with poise, her high bun neatly tied, the same color scheme as Imperators service uniform hugging her form. If Aurelia hadn't known better, she might've thought her an actual officer.

So… not only does he have the most terrifying warriors I've ever seen, but he brings his personal w*ore into formal diplomacy?

The thought irritated her. Then again… everything about this man irritated her.

She had spent the entire morning dreading this moment, complaining to her attendants about having to personally greet him.

A warlord, a brute, a glorified thug and a playboy.

She had said.

Now, as she stood face to face with him, watching him descend the ramp like a conqueror visiting a land already claimed…

She realized something. The rumors had lied. This was no playboy. No mindless warlord. This man… was an Imperator.

And for the first time since arriving at the airfield, Crown Princess Aurelia had nothing to say.

...

MC POV

I stopped at the base of the red carpet, my service boots clicking against the pavement as I finally took a good look at her.

Crown Princess Aurelia of the Black Sun Kingdom. The reports I had skimmed over about her painted a picture of a sharp tongued royal, spoiled, arrogant, and willful to the extreme just like I wrote her to be.

Her golden eyes and raven black hair were striking, but it wasn't her appearance that caught my attention it was who she really was.

Morgana Kane. Yet another one of the MC's women from the story I wrote.

According to my original script, the MC was supposed to marry her as part of a political alliance with the Black Sun Kingdom before using his legions to clean up the Hellenum Dominion.

That was before I got thrown into this world. My jaw tightened slightly as I studied her. She was short. Even with heels adding another ten centimeters, she barely reached my chest.

Yet the way she carried herself the barely concealed contempt in her golden eyes, the rigid but elegant posture made it clear that she thought herself above me, even beneath that stunned silence.

Hah. Cute. I was pulled from my thoughts as she finally spoke.

"Welcome to the Black Sun Kingdom, Imperator."

Her voice was smooth, carefully measured, carrying the weight of nobility behind it. She performed a flawless noble bow, precise and practiced, before rising gracefully.

"A royal carriage has been prepared for you."

She gestured toward the ornate black and gold carriage behind her, its design intricate, gilded, and no doubt uncomfortable as hell. I scoffed.

"No need. My ride is here."

I jerked my thumb backward.

The moment I did, a deep mechanical hiss filled the air as the rear ramp of my transport plane slowly lowered. And out stepped Lupa.

The moment she appeared, everything changed.

The neatly organized royal guards stiffened, their grips tightening on their rifles. The maids and attendants, standing just behind Aurelia, inhaled sharply in terror.

Even the princess herself who had up until now exuded nothing but restrained disdain visibly tensed. I caught the barely whispered words that escaped her lips with my augmented senses.

"I… I thought the Iron Fenrir was just a myth…"

Lupa strode forward, her massive, plated frame moving with impossible grace for something her size.

Her glowing golden eyes locked onto Aurelia for a moment, analyzing her, before she snorted dismissively and turned her gaze back to me.

The tension in the air was so thick it could have snapped.

I stepped toward Lupa, running a hand down her metallic flank before effortlessly jumping onto her back.

My half cloak and unbutoned coat flared slightly as I settled onto her, one leg draped over her armored side, my great sword shifting slightly against my hip.

From my higher vantage point, I looked down at the stunned princess and smirked.

"Want a ride?"

Aurelia's golden eyes snapped up to meet mine.

She hesitated, her gaze flicking between me and Lupa. Her jaw clenched as she glared at the massive war beast, who in turn snorted loudly, shaking her plated head.

The princess was clearly conflicted. She wanted to refuse, that much was obvious. But there was no real way out of it.

If she agreed, she'd be openly accepting my dominance in front of her own people. That would be political suicide.

But she really wanted to and I saw the exact moment she resigned herself to her fate. With an elegant if slightly stiff movement, she reached for my extended hand.

The moment her slender fingers brushed against mine, I gripped her wrist and pulled.

"...!!"

A sharp yelp escaped her lips as I effortlessly lifted her into my lap, her back pressing against my chest.

She immediately stiffened, her body going rigid. I could feel the heat rising from her, whether from rage, embarrassment, or both.

Lupa grumbled lowly, clearly unimpressed by the sudden addition of another rider. I smirked and patted her armored side, signaling her to move.

"Run."

With a deep, rumbling growl, Lupa launched forward, breaking into a smooth, powerful sprint.

The royal attendants and guards stumbled backward as the massive beast charged down the airstrip, carrying the Imperator and the Black Sun Crown Princess into the heart of the capital.

As we rode, I could feel Aurelia's fingers dig into my coat. Her voice came out sharp and strained.

"You absolute...! This is undignified! I should be in the carriage!"

I chuckled, leaning in slightly.

"And yet, here you are, princess."

She bristled, but said nothing. For the first time, I had completely thrown her off balance. And I was going to enjoy every second of it.

"Lupa, show the noble lady what it means to fly in the sky."

The moment the words left my mouth, Lupa's ears perked up. Her plated tail flicked once, and then she grinned.

With a powerful burst of strength, she leaped. Aurelia's grip tightened into a vice.

"W...Wait...!"

Ups sorry princess too late. Lupa landed on a rooftop, her massive claws digging into the tiles as they cracked beneath her weight.

The capital stretched out before us, the skyline painted in gold and crimson from the setting sun. Below, the streets were lined with citizens, staring in shock as their Crown Princess riding a mechanical war beast bounded from building to building like some mythological nightmare.

Aurelia screamed.

"You absolute madman!"

I just laughed. Lupa kicked off again, sending us soaring even higher. The wind whipped through my hair, my laurel crown barely holding on. For a moment, there was nothing beneath us.

Then, the drop. Aurelia's breath hitched as she saw the royal palace's courtyard rushing toward us at terrifying speed.

"...STOP! STOP! WE'RE GOING TO...!"

CRASH!

Lupa landed with a thunderous impact, sending dust and gravel flying in all directions. Royal Guards stationed throughout the palace jumped back in terror, weapons raised, until they realized who had just arrived.

Aurelia, shaking and still gripping onto me like a lifeline, slowly peeled herself away. She turned her murderous golden glare up at me, her breathing heavy.

I gave her my most sh*t eating grin.

"Welcome home, princess."

She punched me in the ribs. Aurelia yelped, leaning back slightly as she clutched her wrist.

"What the hell are your muscles made of?! Steel?! Or are you hiding a metal plate under there?!" She cursed, her voice laced with both frustration and lingering adrenaline.

I smirked, rolling my shoulders as I jumped off Lupa, still carrying her bridal style, to yet another shriek from the furious princess, before setting her on her feet.

"The former,"

I said simply.

The moment her high heels touched the ground, the Royal Guards reacted.

Their rifles snapped up, forming a semi circle around us, fingers tight on their triggers, eyes burning with a mix of fear and duty.

Lupa growled, her plated ears pinning back, claws scraping against the cracked stone. The massive war beast's glowing eyes locked onto the nearest guard, and for a brief, tense moment, it seemed as though blood would be spilled right then and there.

I clicked my tongue, raising a hand toward Lupa.

"Easy, girl. No bloodbath today."

My fingers scratched behind her cold alloyed ears, and her tail flicked once, but her body remained tense.

She stomped the ground with her hind leg, further cracking the already shattered stone beneath her claws. The guards flinched.

Then, I turned my gaze to them. And they froze.

I didn't shout. I didn't even need to. My voice dropped to a quiet, deadly tone, filled with nothing but disdain.

"As for you, I suggest you lower those little toys of yours… unless you want to meet your g*d."

Several guards visibly tensed, some shifting uneasily in place. Because they knew exactly what I meant.