Rebirth: The Path to the Queen's Throne

In a narrow and confined room, a faint scent of blood lingered in the air. Lancaster had a dark expression as he stared at the stunning woman before him, who remained calm and composed. He hadn't expected the royal "hounds" to be so influential. Even after he had taken every precaution and fled to the border, they had still managed to catch up with him so quickly. "You can't escape," he said. Gwen smiled sweetly, but there was a chilling coldness in her laughter. "I'm not here to arrest you. Perhaps we can talk." "Your mercy is boundless, Princess," Lancaster said sarcastically. "May I address you as my fiancée?" He deliberately emphasized the last three words. The guards, hearing this, began to whisper among themselves. Gwen neither confirmed nor denied it, turning instead to lock the door. "Until the church officially annuls our engagement, it is still valid," she said calmly, lazily straightening the gemstone brooch on her collar as she gazed at Lancaster. "Marry me. I will provide you with everything you need." Her tone was indifferent as she stared at Lancaster. His emerald-green eyes, pure and intense, evoked a flood of memories for her. In her past life, it was the owner of these eyes who had personally ignited the fire that destroyed the palace of Linxi. She perished in the flames, leaving no trace of her remains. Who would have thought that Lancaster von Garcia, the traitor who was now fleeing Linxi in disgrace and had been jilted by her, would one day become the Emperor of the Continent, a tyrant... And she, Gwen Ackerman, the most noble first princess of the Kingdom of Linxi, would only be an insignificant stepping stone on his vast conquest. Furthermore, because of her childhood decision to break the engagement, she became a laughingstock of the continent. Reborn at the age of sixteen, she would not allow such an absurd fate to repeat itself again! "How dare you propose such a condition?" "The royal family has ordered the annihilation of the entire Garcia family... Now, you want me to marry my enemy!" Lancaster's eyes were red, like a provoked beast, as he fiercely pushed her against the gray wall, his right hand tightly choking her delicate white neck. He sneered contemptuously, a mix of madness and helplessness in his eyes. The royal family, truly heartless monsters! Gwen was almost suffocating. She forcefully bumped into Lancaster's injured right arm, causing him pain and forcing him to release her. A brutal, bright red mark was left on her cold, white neck from his chokehold, but she still stood tall and noble. "Choose your fate: death or endure humiliation." Lancaster was confused. He knew that as one of the kingdom's top ice mages, Gwen could freeze his blood with just a flick of her finger. Why didn't she do it? Gwen's pale blonde hair fell over her shoulders. Her tear mole at the corner of her eye and the scar on her neck added a touch of vulnerability to her appearance. It made Lancaster feel like he had injured a masterpiece carved by the gods, a strange sense of guilt and compassion welling up in his heart. But she was from the Linxi royal family, his enemy. How could he feel compassion for her Looking at his anger-reddened eyes, Gwen spoke calmly. "It was Prince Freud who suggested the eradication of the Garcia family to the emperor, not me." "I'm here to help you." In both her past and present life, she had never confronted the emperor rumored to be "violent and cruel," and knew nothing about him. But it was obvious that Lancaster would not easily believe her. Regardless, she couldn't let him go. If she couldn't turn Lancaster into an ally, it would be better to let him die here than to let him defect to neighboring Salir and become a major threat to Linxi in the future! If Lancaster couldn't be turned into an ally, it would be better to let him die here than to let him defect to neighboring Salir and become a major threat to Linxi in the future! Lancaster's silence confirmed her thoughts. He didn't trust her. She reached out her hand first. "I'll help you avenge Freud, and you..." "Support Prince Tiel in ascending to the throne, right?" Lancaster interrupted her. It was indeed for the dirty royal struggle. He sneered inwardly. The current king of Linxi, Sivers, had five children divided into three factions. Among them, Prince Tiel and Prince Freud were at odds over the succession, like water and fire. And Gwen was aligned with Tiel. Was her purpose, besides recruiting him to Tiel's side to deal with Freud, anything else? "You misunderstand," Gwen chuckled. Her ice-blue, indifferent eyes sparkled with points of light. Lancaster was much taller than her. She looked up and touched his well-defined jawline. He was stunned. "What..." The fire in her eyes burned with such ambition. "The one who wants to ascend to the throne is me." Gwen said it casually, but it hit Lancaster like a thunderclap— Was she crazy If this got out, it would be a more serious treason than his own... "You're crazy," he looked down at the stunning face of the woman so close to him. "According to Linxi law, women cannot inherit the throne." Gwen smiled, the curve of her red lips shallow. "I didn't plan to obtain the throne legally." "A coup..." Lancaster stared at her. She wasn't here to help him; she was clearly dragging him into the abyss with her. But... Those blue, almost transparent eyes contained a fierce fire of desire, sparking his intense interest. Charming and dangerous, with a fatal attraction. He wanted to see. What kind of ambitious person she was, and how much she was willing to sacrifice for her ambitions? "I don't ally with the useless." Lancaster's emerald eyes were unfathomable. "Show me your sincerity." He was the only male descendant of the Garcia family, a direct descendant of Emperor Norman, the only human emperor in the history of the Varian continent. This surname itself meant nobility, purity, and strength, with immense appeal. This was also the fundamental reason why the Linxi royal family, whenever they had a chance, sought to annihilate the Garcia family. The noblest surname in Linxi could only be Akerman. The Garcia clansmen scattered in other countries had also been killed off in the thousand years after the Norman Empire split... He thought Gwen was only interested in his surname. Little did he know that she saw a much broader future. Lancaster was a natural emperor. Only he could unify the fragmented, war-torn world. To cast peace amidst smoke, horses, and swords. To protect Linxi in such a situation, she had to ally with Lancaster. As a princess of Linxi, she had to bear the corresponding responsibilities after accepting the blessings and sustenance of the people. But how was she going to show sincerity to Lancaster? After a moment of contemplation, she made a decision. Facing Lancaster's stern and proud face, she remained expressionless and placed a kiss on his thin, crimson lips. The kiss was as inexperienced as a dewdrop in the morning light. Lancaster trembled. The softness on his lips caught him off guard, leaving his mind momentarily blank. Moreover, the one kissing him was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen—the brightest golden pearl of Linxi. When the kiss ended, Gwen's cheeks had a hint of pink, but she still pretended to be calm. "My sincerity?" She curved her lips. "My beauty, wealth, and power—from now on, they are all yours to share." There was no trace of desire in her eyes, yet she was breathtakingly beautiful. "Is there something Princess Gwen isn't good at?" Lancaster said with a half-smile, teasing her. "Ah." Gwen took a step back, not knowing how to respond. Could it be that her kissing skills were really that bad? Lancaster raised an eyebrow, pushing her against the wall and placing his hand on her shoulder. She had no way to retreat and was forced to look him in the eye. His body temperature was so hot... Gwen had practiced ice magic since childhood, so her body temperature was much lower than that of ordinary people. "You..." she began to say something. Unexpectedly, Lancaster silenced her with a kiss. Compared to her inexperience, Lancaster's kiss was passionate and aggressive, making her dizzy. Well, compared to him... her kissing skills were indeed lacking. She thought, leaning against the hard wall, almost collapsing. Lancaster held her slender waist and whispered in her ear, "Consider it a deposit, Princess." Did that mean he had agreed? Gwen pushed him away, straightened her clothes, took a deep breath, and said seriously, "Since you've accepted the deposit, let's go." She walked ahead, and the soldiers bowed in respect. Lancaster hesitated for a moment before following her. He had no other way out, so he might as well temporarily "ally" with Gwen. Being with her was perhaps easier to escape than being captured. "Today's events should not be known by anyone except those present here," Gwen said to Lude. "I'll leave it to you, General Lude." The place where she had detained Lancaster was at the border fortress of Salir, the neighboring kingdom of Linxi—Xistine. Strictly speaking, Lancaster had already escaped Linxi's territory. Although Linxi and Salir had always been "friendly neighbors," she had still used her power to interfere in Salir's military affairs. Such matters should not be made public. Who knows what political impact they might have. Lude, as the commander of the Xistine fortress, merited her respect. "Yes," Lude understood, bowing to accept the order, but a hint of doubt crept into his mind. Did he detect that Princess Gwen's lips seemed... a bit swollen?