The Almighty Dominance

Three years earlier, Alex was on his knees in the cold marble hall of the Rosenheim mansion, pressed down by a trio of chrome robots and a pale-faced servant.

The light from the chandelier carved hard lines across his face. The machines made no sound but their grips were insistently mechanical.

"Who are you, thief?" Otto Rosenheim barked, stepping forward. "Why are you trespassing on this property?"

Alex kept his chin up. "I'm Alexander Saint-Claire," he said. "Son of Logan Saint- Claire. I believe this property belongs to my family."

Otto let out a short, incredulous laugh. "You say you're the child of Logan Saint- Claire?"

"Yes." Alex's voice didn't waver. "The blood test proved it. The Prussian Government hospital ran it."

With deliberate calm, Alex tapped the three-dimensional bracelet on his wrist and the document bloomed in a pale hologram. He pushed it toward Otto.

Otto's eyes flicked over the projection as if it were a curious insect.

"So you claim the Marquis Saint-Claire's estate," he said slowly, savoring the words. "Interesting."

"Yes." Alex swallowed.

Otto's laugh was sharp and cruel, echoing through the hall like a crack of a whip.

"Maybe if Logan himself rode through that door, we'd hand it all back on a silver platter," he sneered. "But you-" he jabbed a finger at Alex, venom in his tone, “— you're half-blood, aren't you? Xia blood running through your veins."

He took a step closer, eyes burning with disgust.

"Do you even know what that means here? It makes you filth. A servant. A dog born to obey. In Prussia, your kind doesn't own land-you serve the ones who do."

His lip curled in mock pity.

"So tell me, boy, what gives you the right to stand in my house and claim anything as yours?"

Alex's jaw tightened in silence.

Otto circled him like a predator. "Listen, lad. I knew Logan once. We were close- children running over these grounds."

He paused, then smiled with the cruelty of a man offering poison. "I'll make you an offer. Marry my daughter, Katarina Rosenheim. She's the finest match in this house. Marry her, stay here, and we'll let you keep your head-and a roof."

at the servant. He read the motion

and those mechanics would obey another

low and careful, "you'll give me Katarina

smug. He turned toward the adjoining room, his boots echoing across the marble

beyond the crack, voices leaked through

men would've missed

ordinary, every whisper as

burst out like breaking glass. "I will

for them. We

marrying that-thing?"

not fully Prussian. He has no right to inherit. For him to claim the estate he must marry a Prussian woman, live under Prussian law for three years, and receive approval from a noble baron. Only then would his claim be

you want, Father?" Katarina

like hammered steel. “You marry him for three years,” he said, voice flat as a blade. "After three full years, Katarina, you'll be legally tied to the Saint-Claire name and the estate becomes yours. After that, we remove

cruel and casual. "Treat him like a mutt - keep him in the servants' quarters, feed him kitchen scraps. He's just come from Xia; he knows nothing of our

breath, her eyes narrowing as she turned toward the door. Then, with the soft rustle of silk, she began to

said, her voice cold

satisfied. "Put a smile on your face. Let that fool think

when he's gone." Her voice was cold business, the kind that

behind

found Alex still on his knees in the hall, metal hands at

said, the words a

begged to marry me. I've always said no. You-" she laughed softly, cruel and warm at

simple and savage: Alex

garden-a space so lowly even the

his way, bowed when spoken to, and moved through the mansion with the quiet obedience of someone

spectators at a cruel

night, Alex slipped out through the servant's gate. The moon cut

empty street that smelled of coal

stepped out of the

to their knees in unison, their movements sharp and practiced. The

Majesty," he said, bowing his head low. "We are the Kingswell-frontline men, from Estoria

to stop the absurdity. "We're on a mission. Don't call me king