Sylas instantly grew displeased.
He lowered his head to look towards the door, not wanting to speak to Isolde.
This woman's words were truly offensive.
"What? Ignoring me again? Let me tell you, the weather's been cold lately, and I haven't sent thick quilts to your mother and sister yet.
Those prison cells are freezing cold. Wouldn't want General Alaric to catch a chill."
Isolde was back to her old tricks. Always using family to threaten him.
No matter how old the trick, it was still effective.
Sylas instantly experienced that suffocating feeling of powerless entrapment again.
He said with difficulty, "Your Majesty..."
Isolde couldn't help but smile. She threw back the quilt, patted the bed, and said excitedly, "Hurry up, hurry up..."
Sylas: "...Let's not..."
"Sylas, I'm getting angry!" Isolde's pretty face turned cold.
I finally come here once, and this is your attitude!
I'm not even disdain you're dirty, and you're still making excuses!
Sylas's eyes dimmed. He could only remove his clothes and comply.
Isolde had now realized one thing.
Facing desire was like facing a flood. Diversion was better than blockade.
Always restraining oneself would only lead to increasing agony.
It was better to come here regularly to release it; that would improve her state of mind considerably.
After a few rounds of release, Isolde, satisfied, wrapped herself in the quilt to rest.
Her small hands were strong, gripping Sylas's waist tightly, refusing to let go.
She wishes pinched bruises into his skin.
"Your Majesty, shouldn't you be leaving now?" Sylas pleaded softly.
"Not leaving. Cook for me, bathe me, dress me!" Isolde said domineeringly.
She wanted to experience this kind of service too.
She was the Empress; how could she be outdone?
Sylas was worried: "But what if..."
Isolde said carelessly, "Afraid of what? I value Victoria so highly; shouldn't she contribute you?"
"Ah..." Sylas was instantly rendered speechless.
When it came down to it, he was still just a toy.
He stopped talking.
Saying more might provoke Isolde into harming his family; the loss would outweigh the gain.
He prepared to get up and serve her.
Isolde's large eyes suddenly fixed on him. After staring for a good while, she said seriously, "I want an heir. Can you help me?"
Sylas looked horrified, utterly speechless.
Isolde tightened her arms around his waist and said gravely, "The current situation is very complex, so I need a daughter as my heir.
You... from today onwards, start preparing for pregnancy, alright?"
"I can't... I... alright."
The words of refusal reached Sylas's lips, but he swallowed them back.
"I know it's dangerous, but don't worry, the Servant's Chain will protect you. You won't die," Isolde patted his arm comfortingly.
In this matriarchal world, ordinary intimacy was one thing.
But if a woman intended to bear a child, it required the man to provide his essence.
This strand of essence was extremely precious to a man. Once lost, it caused significant damage to the male body.
Some physically weak men even died of debilitation after surrendering their essence.
Essence could be actively provided by the man or forcibly taken by the woman.
If provided actively, and if handled properly, one might keep half a life.
After a period of recuperation, a "confinement month," one could recover seventy or eighty percent, though their health would certainly never be as before.
If the Lady Sovereign didn't care for her spouse and forcibly seized the essence, the man would undoubtedly face near-certain death.
So, having a child was, for a man, a gamble with his life.
After capturing Sylas, Isolde had only treated him as a beautiful vase.
She hadn't had any intention of getting pregnant or killing him.
She was just playing.
Later, Jade felt deeply guilty towards Sylas.
The age difference was so great; she would certainly not forcibly take his essence.
As for the current Victoria, she was almost the same, knowing Sylas was relatively frail and that unprepared, she would crush this highland flower.
So none of them had pressured him.
Sylas was initially terrified, but then it occurred to him that if he surrendered his essence, he would almost certainly die.
His body wasn't particularly robust. If he lived in privilege, ate tonics, was properly regulated, he could still nurture and bear children.
But judging by Isolde's intensity, he definitely wouldn't survive.
This might be good; just let Isolde finish him off.
But then Isolde said the Servant's Chain would keep him alive.
Sylas's feelings instantly became complicated.
He wanted to die, but he didn't want to get Isolde pregnant.
This matter lodged itself in his heart.
Next, he followed Isolde's demands: dressed her, did her makeup, cooked meals.
Throughout, he was distracted.
He kept thinking about finding some loophole to free himself.
But after much thought, he had no ideas.
According to Isolde, with the Servant's Chain, if he actively provided his essence, he would only lose a tiny bit.
At most, he'd suffer a minor illness.
So that was that. Isolde could get pregnant, and he wouldn't die. He gained no benefit whatsoever.
He really didn't want to cooperate.
But thinking of Isolde's threats, he didn't know how long he could hold out.
Isolde lingered at his place until afternoon, nearly evening. Seeing the world outside was a vast whiteness of snow, she finally left, reluctant to go.
She even took food with her when she left...
"I'll bring you tonics tomorrow. Build up your health properly. After six months of supplementation, we'll prepare."
She finally left, her mind at peace.
This time, when she returned, she didn't have that furious negativity.
So, managing desire relied on release!
Relying on release. She decided she would release more often in the future.
Hearing she would come again tomorrow, Sylas felt his limbs grow cold.
How long had the peace lasted?
Isolde was clinging to him again.
And this time, he had nowhere to go.
On the contrary, he had to cooperate with Isolde to keep the secret.
Lest Victoria find out and he end up caught between two fires.
Because of this, he actually felt somewhat guilty towards Victoria.
He increasingly felt his moral character was lacking, indeed as Isolde said, truly base.
But then he thought, he was clearly a prisoner, how could he be so concerned about these enemies?
Tossing and turning over these thoughts, he felt he was going mad.
The only consolation was that Victoria did not return tonight.
He sent someone to ask Victoria if she needed any daily supplies, that he would prepare them.
Victoria had someone tell him that everything was fine where she was, but that she wanted to eat the food he cooked.
And that the night after next, there was a banquet hosted by The Duchess of Arbor, Celeste, which Victoria planned to attend.
Sylas could make food for her, but he wasn't very interested in the banquet she mentioned.
He hadn't forgotten how Celeste had tricked him last time.
However, Victoria had specified that if she got drunk, she hoped Sylas could come to pick her up.
"Go report to the Lady. If she gets drunk, I will take a carriage to pick her up."
Sylas instructed the maid. He placed the food into a food box and had the maid wrap it in a blanket so it wouldn't get cold on the way.
Then, he just ate a little something and went to bed early.