Death to Power
Copyright© 2025 by TheSmartOne
Chapter 43: May we never meet again!
Sora just stood there, eyes wide, staring at Kaden like he was something unreal.
“What ... what do you mean?” she asked, trying to keep her tone composed, like none of this mattered, like she didn’t care—like she didn’t know exactly what he was referring to.
But Kaden wasn’t fooled.
He had already seen her first reaction, and even before that, he had felt it—something in the way she held herself, something about her rhythm. A hunch, maybe. But a strong one.
And Kaden was good with hunches.
Because someone like Sora—a princess from a powerhouse like the Celestial Empire, born under pressure, raised in greatness, shackled by the weight of legacy—someone like that didn’t have time for silly things like singing.
No. That didn’t fit.
Unless...
Unless it was a secret.
Unless it was something she had to hide.
It would’ve been just a stretch—if Kaden hadn’t read about the Celestial Empire. About their pride. Their belief that only they carried true justice. That their ways were the only ways. That their image, their narrative, was absolute.
So a princess?
Singing?
No way.
It wasn’t just unlikely. It was forbidden.
And the moment he pieced that together, the rest clicked into place.
So he did what he had to do.
He used it.
Killing her? Torturing her?
No.
He didn’t have the power—or the stomach—for that.
But blackmail?
Blackmail was fair game. Definitely.
“You choose, Princess,” Kaden said, voice low and sharp. “Either you help me ... or all of Fokay finds out about your little performance. And trust me—at least one of those guards will spill it.”
Sora’s eyes trembled for a moment—but just as quickly, they hardened again.
“I could kill them,” she said, voice suddenly cold, sovereign. “They’re my guards. My subordinates. If I want, they’ll die. Even their families.”
A chill ran through the room—not from mana, but from sheer imperial arrogance.
‘So much for a family screaming justice across the heavens... ‘ Kaden sneered inwardly.
But he didn’t doubt her. Not for a second.
He knew she could.
But could she get away with it?
“Would you really do that?” Kaden asked, eyes narrowing. “Sure, you could kill them all. But what happens after? How do you explain it to your family?”
“You know them better than I do.”
Sora fell silent.
Because he was right.
Her family wouldn’t accept it. They had an image to protect. Reputations to uphold. They wouldn’t let it slide—not even for her.
If she acted recklessly, they’d investigate.
And if they found out what really happened ... the one thing she cherished in this prison of golden walls—her singing—would be stripped away.
And that?
That, she could never accept.
‘I can’t ... I won’t let them take it from me,’ Sora thought, jaw clenched, fists shaking.
Then, with gritted teeth and fire in her eyes, she looked up at Kaden.
“I accept. I’ll change the destination for you.”
The moment the words left her mouth, Kaden moved.
She was still bound, unable to walk properly, so he didn’t waste time—he carried her.
Sora’s eyes snapped open. “You—! What are you doing?! Don’t touch me with your filthy hands, you bastard!”
Her voice rose, almost shouting.
Kaden’s heart jumped out of his chest. He slapped a hand over her mouth.
“Are you fucking insane? You want to get me caught now? We’re this close!”
He glared at her.
“I swear, if I get found out, I don’t care if I die—I’ll make sure everyone down there sees that little performance of yours. Got it?”
Sora’s eyes glinted, but she went quiet.
Her voice silenced, but her rage flared even brighter.
“Don’t. Touch. Me,” she hissed when he pulled his hand away, each word burning with emphasis.
Kaden didn’t respond.
As long as she didn’t scream, he didn’t care what she said.
And Sora noticed.
He wasn’t afraid of her title.
He wasn’t kneeling. Wasn’t playing along.
And that—that was new.
Unsettling.
Unforgivable.
People didn’t act like this around her. No one ever had. They either feared her, worshipped her, or stayed the hell out of her way.
Kaden did none of the three.
It should’ve felt intriguing.
But instead, it felt like disrespect.
She hated it.
She was a princess. An Asterion. A symbol of divine order.
How could someone—anyone—treat her like this?
Before that frustration could grow into something worse, Kaden placed her gently down in front of the teleportation portal.