Chapter 454: The Weight of Power

Christiana Blackwood – The Dictator of the Empire

The moment my father—King Chris Blackwood—spoke my new title into existence, the world seemed to stop.

The Dictator.

It was a role that had never existed before. A position above the Prime Minister, yet just below the King himself. Ultimate control over internal affairs, the military, and enforcement.

I was stunned. Not because I couldn't handle it—I could. But because my father had chosen to give me this level of power.

As the press conference ended, I could feel all eyes on me. Some filled with shock, others with fear. I had become one of the most powerful figures in the empire.

And that meant one thing.

Enemies would come for me.

I left the grand hall without speaking to anyone, ignoring the reporters desperate for a reaction. I needed to think.

But the moment I entered my private wing, Skylar was waiting.

Her arms were crossed, her gaze sharp. "Dictator?" she said slowly, voice unreadable.

I met her stare, refusing to look away. "You heard him."

Skylar stepped forward, her expression darkening. "Do you realize what he's done?"

"Given me power," I answered simply.

Skylar exhaled sharply, her frustration barely contained. "Given you power? Or given you a target on your back? The Prime Minister won't sit quietly after this. The ministers, the military elites—they won't accept this so easily."

I tilted my head slightly. "Let them try to oppose me."

Skylar's eyes flickered with something—pride? Concern? Maybe both.

She let out a humorless chuckle. "You're his daughter, alright."

I smirked. "And now I'm his Dictator."

There was a long pause before she finally spoke again.

"Be careful, Christiana."

I didn't answer.

Because careful wasn't how you ruled an empire.