Chaos' Heir

Princes and Princesses were among the highest authority in the Global Army, but that didn't make them free. Actually, their statuses came with countless limits, duties, and restrictions, often preventing them from pursuing what they truly wanted.

There were exceptions. Khan was a famous one, and the noble families weren't strangers to lost causes or failures who only wanted to dwell in hedonistic pleasures or abuse their authority. Khan had even met one during Rick's marriage, but Rachel wasn't even close to that group.

Princess Rachel Montares was quite the sought-after figure. She was young, beautiful, well-behaved, intelligent, knowledgeable, and perfectly established in the Global Army and noble's upper echelons. She was a promising Princess the Montares family had and was investing a lot into, and she mostly met those expectations.

Encountering Khan had only increased Rachel's value. She made a mistake during the tournament's auction, but Khan had already covered for her, salvaging her position and reputation. That issue wasn't fixed yet, but it seemed the Montares family had chosen to turn a blind eye to the matter due to the significant benefits Khan delivered.

So, it was safe to assume that Rachel didn't have the freedom or agency to visit Khan on her own, especially on a whim. She couldn't allow those due to her status and responsibilities, meaning her family was part of the reason behind the trip.

Understanding the reason and those behind it wasn't hard for Khan. He had spent years studying and experiencing the various layers of the political array. He would never reach Monica's level, but what he had learned was enough to draw a reasonable conclusion.

Rachel didn't try to deny those words. It would be pointless anyway, and she didn't want to lie to Khan. Yet, the political topic would inevitably ruin that intimate moment Rachel had never expected to create, and she struggled to let go of that minor miracle already.

"Could we-" Rachel muttered, surprised by her desire to act so spoiled. "Khan, can we talk about something else a bit longer first?"

It was rare for Princess Rachel to utter such selfish requests. She didn't recall the last time she did, and her eyes remained closed, allowing her to immerse herself in that intimate moment while waiting for the inevitable refusal.

However, Khan responded with the most shocking words Rachel had ever expected to hear. "Okay."

Rachel couldn't help but smile coyly, and Khan rolled his eyes jokingly when he sensed that reaction. She didn't ask it, but Khan knew her real request involved prolonging that intimate moment instead of delaying the political talk.

"What do you want to talk about?" Khan asked.

"Anything works," Rachel muttered.

"Let's see," Khan whispered. "I didn't check my phone in a long time. Is there anything worth noting that I missed?"

"I'm not your secretary, Prince Khan," Rachel jokingly scolded. "Make it a conversation, at least."

"Wealthy women and their requests," Khan sighed, and Rachel giggled since he heard him playing along. "Did you enjoy the second tournament?"

"It was less enjoyable without you," Rachel revealed, "And it's still a bit too exhausting, but the third promises to be even shorter."

"Did my Uncle announce it already?" Khan wondered.

"It has already started," Rachel explained. "The preliminary matches have yet to begin, but guests have already filled your quadrant. A representative from my family is currently there."

"Prince Andrew?" Khan asked.

"Him," Rachel nodded before suddenly stopping when she recalled where she was. Her head was between Khan's cheek and shoulder, so that gesture was closer to a snuggle than a simple reply.

"Did I ever thank you for sticking up for me with Prince Andrew?" Rachel quickly asked, hoping Khan wouldn't tease her about her snuggling.

"There's no need for thanks," Khan reassured. "I told you I would have helped you."

"I still want to say it," Rachel stated. "Thank you, Khan."

"My pleasure," Khan uttered.

"Though," Rachel added. "You are still too permissive with women in need."

"Says the one abusing that trait now," Khan teased.

"True," Rachel softly laughed. "I might be a bit of a hypocrite."

"Can you repeat that?" Khan questioned, pretending to browse his pocket to look for his phone. "I'd like to have it on record in case you try to deny it later."

"You are such a tease," Rachel giggled. "I don't know how I'd survive dealing with it every day."

Rachel suddenly opened her eyes, realizing her mistake. Those words had slipped out of her and could sound like a random joke. However, both she and Khan knew they were linked to the talk they were delaying.

"Was it that obvious?" Rachel eventually asked, looking at the blue light on the metal wall.

"I suspected my family would try it sooner or later," Khan admitted. "It's understandable, and you are a perfect candidate."

"But you don't care for perfect candidates, do you?" Rachel asked.

"I wouldn't have half as many problems if I did," Khan joked.

"That much was evident," Rachel sighed. "I tried to talk my family out of it. I believed it was too soon. I also didn't want it to happen like this."

"Isn't this how nobles usually deal with this stuff?" Khan wondered. "The families see them as financial transactions in the end."

"Yes," Rachel confirmed. "I've been raised to see it as the norm. I also accept it to some extent, but I wish things were different with you."

"Do you all enjoy seeing me breaking the rules and traditions?" Khan chuckled.

"It's appealing," Rachel smiled, "But I was talking about something else. I wanted to respect your wishes before letting our families in on the deal."

Neither Khan nor Rachel had dared to mention the exact word yet, but both knew what was at stake there. Everything considered that development was obvious, almost mandatory. They were both the right age and status, and Khan was a volatile figure, so binding him as soon as possible would remove countless variables.

Rachel knew the delay was over, so she steeled her resolve and pushed aside her unwillingness to lift her head. Khan let her go, but her hand remained in his as she half-turned to face him.

"Prince Khan," Rachel called, looking deep into Khan's glowing, tired eyes, hoping no shyness appeared on her face. "As approved by the Nognes and Montares family, would you consider marrying me?"