"Dammit!"

Baam!

The viscount angrily pushed everything on his table to the ground with a single swing of his hand.

His face was etched with rage, his fingers fidgeting as he kept roaming around his office, moving from one end of the room to the other.

Ishtar sat on the couch, her leg crossed, a cup of tea in one hand while fanning herself with the other.

"How did that idiot failure get his hands on a mythical creature like a dragon? Since when has he been planning this? Weeks? Months? How did he do this and not a single person found him out?"

Embre paused.

"Was this how he was able to get that many dragon ores? He had a dragon producing them for him? Dammit, this shouldn't be possible! Only the kings of the empire have dragons, no? Right? Right, Ishtar?!"

He frustradedly turned to his daughter.

Looking back at him, Ishtar could only respond calmly, since for the most part, she genuinely didn't care.

"Of course, Father, you would be right. It is said only four dragons exist in this world, and three of those are nearing death. So yes, how Lord Aurelian managed to get his hands on a dragon is truly terrifying."

"Do you think he has a den full of dragon eggs?"

"A den? Father, even for a man such as him, surely you don't think something like this is possible?"

"It's that brat! I am getting tired of him catching me off guard like this!" Embre fell silent for a while, then he knocked over a book on his shelf.

"I fucking ran away like a scared little boy. I thought I would catch them off guard. The spies told me both that brat and his strongest soldier were away from the barony. How… how did I possibly lose like this?"

"Truly, it's a shame," Ishtar sipped her tea.

"You don't give a damn, do you?" Embre glared at her. "Your father is in hell right now and all you care about is your own entertainment! Do you understand what it means if the Aurelians decide to attack us? We are dead, gone! There is nothing we can do against a dragon! That's like attempting to fight a god!"

"But Lord Aurelian did fight a dragon. And he did come out victorious. And yet you still view him as unworthy. I find that rather strange," Ishtar voiced out, her eyes not once moving to her father.

The man was practically glaring at her, as if holding back the urge to kill her.

"That's right. I remember now. For some reason, you went to meet that idiot Dorian. I sent my army because I thought you had betrayed me. Now that I think more on it, you knew, didn't you? That if I thought that man had taken you from me, I would lose my mind and launch a fruitless attack."

"I made a gamble, and it paid off." She smiled, gently dropping her cup on the table.

"I also gambled on the fact you would lose, and that also paid off."

Embre was stunned into silence. He stared at his daughter, his mouth agape, unable to comprehend the sheer audacity of her words. The air in the room grew thick with unspoken accusations and a chilling realization.

"You... you truly are your mother's daughter," he finally managed to stammer, his voice a low, dangerous growl.

"Calculated and cold. You'd see your own father ruined for your amusement."

Ishtar merely shrugged, a faint, almost imperceptible smirk playing on her lips.

"Amusement, Father? No, not amusement. Foresight. You were blinded by your rage, just as you always are. I simply observed the inevitable outcome."

He lunged forward, grabbing her arm, his grip surprisingly strong despite his age.

"What do you want, Ishtar? What is your game here? Do you truly believe that idiot Aurelian will treat you better than your own family?"

She met his gaze without flinching, her eyes as cold and hard as polished obsidian.

"Lord Aurelian understands power, Father. And he understands opportunity. Something you have clearly forgotten." She pulled her arm free with surprising ease, rising from the couch. "It's time you learned to adapt, or be swept away by the changing tides."

It seemed as though she was about to walk out the door, before she suddenly stopped.

"Why was your first thought me going to Lord Aurelian? Was that truly my first impression?"

Embre, still obviously enraged at what his daughter had said to him, replied reluctantly,

"It's quite obvious from the start. You are not the type to support someone as you have with him. At first, I thought he bribed you, but not once did you ever think to do anything against him. You've taken a liking to him, haven't you?"

"Father, oh, sometimes you can be so smart." Ishtar grabbed his hand, her face close to his, her eyes bubbling up.

"You know me all too well. Father, I can settle a deal with him so we can all be on good terms. All you have to do is let me handle it, and I promise it will benefit even you."

Embre glared. "I am supposed to believe you have my best interests at heart and this isn't just some sick joke to you?"

"You have my word. It's simple. If I can marry into the Aurelian name, then our family will forever be linked with them. It's the only way you can directly benefit from their success."

"What are you say—"

"You will never find another man like Lord Aurelian. Honestly, I already planned to marry him and leave this family. But I gave it much thought. That said, if you refuse, then I have no choice but to revert back to my earlier plan."

"Y-" Embre frowned. "You would choose that man over your own father? Your only father?"

"Oh Father, don't ask such silly questions. That man could skin me alive and I still wouldn't walk away from him. What makes you think you're any different?" Ishtar uttered with a bright smile on her face.

Looking at her, Embre couldn't be any more desensitized even if he wanted to.

He already knew her and how she was. Still, he loved her.

Of everyone in the world, she is by far the only person he could never say no to. Even more, the fear of her leaving was something he never wanted to deal with.

"F-fine, i-if that is what you want…." he let out grudgingly.

"Very good." Ishtar placed a hand on his shoulder. "Now, let me tell you the things you need to change about yourself so you don't embarrass me in front of him. Okay, number one…"

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